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THE    INHABITANTS 


PHILIPPINES 


THE  INHABITANTS 


PHILIPPINES 


BY 


FREDERIC  H.  SAWYER 

MEMU.    INST.    C.E.,    MEMB.    INST.    N.A. 


NEW    YORK 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 

i53-i57>   Fifth  Avenue 

1900 


LONDON: 
PRINTED  BY  WILLIAM  CLOWES   AND  SONS,  Limited, 

STAMFORD   STREET   AND    CHARING   CROSS. 


1SS4567 


Frontispiece. 


PREFACE 


The  writer  feels  that  no  English  book  does  justice  to  the 
natives  of  the  Philippines,  and  this  conviction  has  impelled 
him  to  publish  his  own  more  favourable  estimate  of  them. 
He  arrived  in  Manila  with  a  thorough  command  of  the 
Spanish  language,  and  soon  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the 
Tagal  dialect.  His  avocations  brought  him  into  contact 
with  all  classes  of  the  community — officials,  priests,  land- 
owners, mechanics,  and  peasantry  :  giving  him  an  unrivalled 
opportunity  to  learn  their  ideas  and  observe  their  manners 
and  customs.  He  resided  in  Luzon  for  fourteen  years, 
making  trips  either  on  business  or  for  sport  all  over  the 
Central  and  Southern  Provinces,  also  visiting  Cebu,  Iloilo, 
and  other  ports  in  Visayas,  as  well  as  Calamianes,  Cuyos, 
and  Palawan. 

Old  Spanish  chroniclers  praise  the  good  breeding  of 
the  natives,  and  remark  the  quick  intelligence  of  the 
young. 

Recent  writers  are  less  favourable  ;  Caiiamaque  holds 
them  up  to  ridicule,  Monteverde  denies  them  the  possession 
of  any  good  quality  either  of  body  or  mind. 

Foreman  declares  that  a  voluntary  concession  of  justice 
is  regarded  by  them  as  a  sign  of  weakness  ;  other  writers 
judge  them  from  a  few  days'  experience  of  some  of  the 
cross-bred  corrupted  denizens  of  Manila. 

Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid  denounces  them  as  rebels,  savages, 
and  treacherous  barbarians. 

Mr.  McKinley  is  struck  by  their  ingratitude  for  American 
kindness  and  mercy. 


vi  PREFACE 

Senator  Beveridge  declares  that  the  inhabitants  of  Min- 
danao are  incapable  of  civilisation. 

It  seems  to  have  been  left  to  French  and  German 
contemporary  writers,  such  as  Dr.  Montano  and  Professor 
Blumentritt  to  show  a  more  appreciative,  and  the  author 
thinks,  a  fairer  spirit,  than  those  who  have  requited  the 
hospitality  of  the  Filipinos  by  painting  them  in  the  darkest 
colours.  It  will  be  only  fair  to  exempt  from  this  censure 
two  American  naval  officers,  Paymaster  Wilcox  and  Mr. 
L.  S.  Sargent,  who  travelled  in  North  Luzon  and  drew  up 
a  report  of  what  they  saw. 

As  regards  the  accusation  of  being  savages,  the  Tagais 
can  claim  to  have  treated  their  prisoners  of  war,  both 
Spaniards  and  Americans  with  humanity,  and  to  be  fairer 
fighters  than  the  Boers. 

The  writer  has  endeavoured  to  describe  the  people  as 
he  found  them.  If  his  estimate  of  them  is  more  favourable 
than  that  of  others,  it  may  be  that  he  exercised  more  care 
in  declining  to  do  business  with,  or  to  admit  to  his  service 
natives  of  doubtful  reputation  ;  for  he  found  his  clients 
punctual  in  their  payments,  and  his  employes,  workmen 
and  servants,  skilful,  industrious,  and  grateful  for  benefits 
bestowed. 

If  the  natives  fared  badly  at  the  hands  of  recent  authors, 
the  Spanish  Administration  fared  worse,  for  it  has  been 
painted  in  the  darkest  tints,  and  unsparingly  condemned. 

It  was  indeed  corrupt  and  defective,  and  what  govern- 
ment is  not  .''  More  than  anything,  it  was  behind  the  age, 
yet  it  was  not  without  its  good  points. 

Until  an  inept  bureaucracy  was  substituted  for  the  old 
paternal  rule,  and  the  revenue  quadrupled  by  increased 
taxation,  the  Filipinos  were  as  happy  a  community  as 
could  be  found  in  any  colony.  The  population  greatly 
multiplied  ;  they  lived  in  competence,  if  not  in  affluence  ; 
cultivation  was  extended,  and  the  exports  steadily  in- 
creased. 

The  natives  were  secured  the  perpetual  usufruct  of  the 


PREFACE  vii 

land  they  tilled,  they  were  protected  against  the  usurer, 
that  curse  of  East  and  West. 

In  guaranteeing  the  land  to  the  husbandman,  the  "  Laws 
of  the  Indies "  compare  favourably  with  the  law  of  the 
United  States  regarding  Indian  land  tenure.  The  Supreme 
Court  in  1823  decided  that  "discovery  gives  the  dominion 
of  the  land  discovered  to  the  States  of  which  the  discoverers 
were  the  subjects." 

It  has  been  almost  an  axiom  with  some  writers  that  no 
advance  was  made  or  could  be  made  under  Spanish  rule. 

There  were  difficulties  indeed.  The  Colonial  Minister, 
importuned  on  the  one  hand  by  doctrinaire  liberals,  whose 
crude  schemes  of  reform  would  have  set  the  Archipelago 
on  fire,  and  confronted  on  the  other  by  the  serried  phalanx 
of  the  Friars  with  their  hired  literary  bravos,  was  very 
much  in  the  position  of  being  between  the  devil  and  the 
deep  sea,  or,  as  the  Spaniards  phrase  it  "  entre  la  espada  y 
la  pared." 

Even  thus  the  Administration  could  boast  of  some 
reforms  and  improvements. 

The  hateful  slavery  of  the  Cagayanes  had  been  abolished  ; 
the  forced  cultivation  of  tobacco  was  a  thing  of  the  past, 
and  in  all  the  Archipelago  the  corvee  had  been  reduced. 

A  telegraph  cable  connecting  Manila  with  Hong  Kong 
and  the  world's  telegraph  system  had  been  laid  and  sub- 
sidized. Telegraph  wires  were  extended  to  all  the  prin- 
cipal towns  of  Luzon;  lines  of  mail  steamers  to  all  the 
principal  ports  of  the  Archipelago  were  established  and 
subsidized.  A  railway  120  miles  long  had  been  built  from 
Manila  to  Dagupan  under  guarantee.  A  steam  tramway 
had  been  laid  to  Malabon,  and  horse  tramways  through 
the  suburbs  of  Manila.  The  Quay  walls  of  the  Pasig  had 
been  improved,  and  the  river  illuminated  from  its  mouth 
to  the  bridge  by  powerful  electric  arc  lights. 

Several  lighthouses  had  been  built,  others  were  in 
progress.  A  capacious  harbour  was  in  construction, 
although   unfortunately   defective    in    design    and    execu- 


viii  PREFACE 

tion.  The  Manila  waterworks  had  been  completed  and 
greatly  reduced  the  mortality  of  the  city.  The  schools 
were  well  attended,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  popula- 
tion could  read  and  write.  Technical  schools  had  been 
established  in  Manila  and  Iloilo,  and  were  eagerly  attended. 
Credit  appears  to  be  due  to  the  Administration  for  these 
measures,  but  it  is  rare  to  see  any  mention  of  them. 

As  regards  the  Religious  Orders  that  have  played  so 
important  a  part  scarcely  a  word  has  been  said  in  their 
favour.  Worcester  declares  his  conviction  that  their  in- 
fluence is  wholly  bad.  However  they  take  a  lot  of  killing 
and  seem  to  have  got  round  the  Peace  Commission  and 
General  Otis. 

They  are  not  wholly  bad,  and  they  have  had  a  glorious 
history.  They  held  the  islands  from  1570  to  1828,  without 
any  permanent  garrison  of  Spanish  regular  troops,  and  from 
1828  to  1883  with  about  1500  artillerymen.  They  did  no 
entirely  rely  upon  brute  force.  They  are  certainly  no 
longer  suited  to  the  circumstances  of  the  Philippines  having 
survived  their  utility.  They  are  an  anachronism.  But  they 
have  brought  the  Philippines  a  long  way  on  the  path  of 
civilisation.  Let  us  be  just ;  what  British,  French,  or  Dutch 
colony,  populated  by  natives,  can  compare  with  the  Philip- 
pines as  they  were  till  1895  .? 

And  what  about  American  rule  }  It  has  begun  unfor- 
tunately, and  has  raised  a  feeling  of  hatred  in  the  natives 
that  will  take  a  generation  to  efface.  It  will  not  be  enough 
for  the  United  States  to  beat  down  armed  resistance.  A 
huge  army  must  be  maintained  to  keep  the  natives  down. 
As  soon  as  the  Americans  are  at  war  with  one  of  the  Great 
Powers,  the  natives  will  rise ;  whenever  a  land-tax  is 
imposed  there  will  be  an  insurrection. 

The  great  difference  between  this  war  and  former  in- 
surrections is  that  now  for  the  first  time  the  natives  have 
rifles  and  ammunition,  and  have  learned  to  use  them.  Not 
all  the  United  States  Navy  can  stop  them  from  bringing 
in  fresh  supplies.     Unless  some  arrangement  is  come   to 


PREFACE  ix 

with  the  natives,  there  can  be  no  lasting  peace.  Such  an 
arrangement  I  believe  quite  possible,  and  that  it  could  be 
brought  about  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  both  parties. 

This  would  not  be,  however,  on  the  lines  suggested  in 
the  National  Review  of  September  under  the  heading, 
"  Will  the  United  States  withdraw  from  the  Philippines  ?  " 

Three  centuries  of  Spanish  rule  is  not  a  fit  preparation 
for  undertaking  the  government  of  the  Archipelago.  But 
Central  and  Southern  Luzon,  with  the  adjacent  islands, 
might  be  formed  into  a  State  whose  inhabitants  would  be 
all  Tagals  and  Vicols,  and  the  northern  part  into  another 
State  whose  most  important  peoples  would  be  the  Pam- 
pangos,  the  Pangasinanes,  the  Ilocanos,  and  the  Cagayanes  ; 
the  Igorrotes  and  other  heathen  having  a  special  Protector 
to  look  after  their  interests. 

Visayas  might  form  a  third  State,  all  the  inhabitants 
being  of  that  race,  whilst  Mindanao  and  Southern  Palawan 
should  be  entirely  governed  by  Americans  like  a  British 
Crown  Colony. 

The  Sulu  Sultanate  could  be  a  Protectorate  similar  to 
North  Borneo  or  the  Malay  States.  Manila  could  be 
a  sort  of  Federal  District,  and  the  Consuls  would  be 
accredited  to  the  President's  representative,  the  foreign 
relations  being  solely  under  his  direction.  There  should 
be  one  tariff  for  all  the  islands,  for  revenue  only,  treating 
all  nations  alike,  the  custom  houses,  telegraphs,  post  offices, 
and  lighthouse  service  being  administered  by  United  States 
officials,  either  native  or  American.  With  power  thus 
limited,  the  Tagals,  Pampangos,  and  Visayas  might  be 
entrusted  with  their  own  affairs,  and  no  garrisons  need  be 
kept,  except  in  certain  selected  healthy  spots,  always 
having  transports  at  hand  to  convey  them  wherever  they 
were  wanted.  If,  as  seems  probable,  Mr.  McKinley  should 
be  re-elected,  I  hope  he  will  attempt  some  such  arrange- 
ment, and  I  heartily  wish  him  success  in  pacifying  this 
sorely  troubled  country,  the  scene  of  four  years  continuous 
massacre. 


X  PREFACE 

The  Archipelago  is  at  present  in  absolute  anarchy,  the 
exports  have  diminished  by  half,  and  whereas  we  used  to 
travel  and  camp  out  in  absolute  security,  now  no  white  man 
dare  show  his  face  more  than  a  mile  from  a  garrison. 

Notwithstanding  this,  some  supporters  of  the  Adminis- 
tration in  the  States  are  advising  young  men  with  capital 
that  there  is  a  great  opening  for  them  as  planters  in  the 
Islands. 

There  may  be  when  the  Islands  are  pacified,  but  not 
before. 

To  all  who  contemplate  proceeding  to  or  doing  any 
business,  or  taking  stock  in  any  company  in  the  Philippines, 
I  recommend  a  careful  study  of  my  book.  They  cannot 
fail  to  benefit  by  it. 

Red  Hill,  Oct.  15/"//,  1900. 


SALAMAT. 


The  author  desires  to  express  his  hearty  thanks  to  all  those 
who  have  assisted  him. 

To  Father  Joaquin  Sancho,  S.J.,  Procurator  of  Colonial 
Missions,  Madrid,  for  the  books,  maps  and  photographs 
relating  to  Mindanao,  with  permission  to  use  them. 

To  Mr.  H.  W.  B.  Harrison  of  the  British  Embassy, 
Madrid,  for  his  kindness  in  taking  photographs  and 
obtaining  books. 

To  Don  Francisco  de  P.  Vigil,  Director  of  the  Colonial 
Museum,  Madrid,  for  affording  special  facilities  for  photo- 
graphing the  Anitos  and  other  curiosities  of  the  Igorrotes, 

To  Messrs.  J.  Laurent  and  Co.,  Madrid,  for  permission 
to  reproduce  interesting  photographs  of  savage  and  civilised 
natives. 

To  Mr.  George  Gilchrist  of  Manila,  for  photographs,  and 
for  the  use  of  his  diary  with  particulars  of  the  Tagal  insur- 
rection, and  for  descriptions  of  some  incidents  of  which  he 
was  an  eye-witness. 

To  Mr.  C.  E.  de  Bertodano,  C.E.,  of  Victoria  Street, 
Westminster,  for  the  use  of  books  of  reference  and  for  in- 
formation afforded. 

To  Mr.  William  Harrison  of  Billiter  Square,  E.C.,  for 
the  use  of  photographs  of  Vicols  cleaning  hemp. 

To  the  late  Mr.  F.  W.  Campion  of  Trumpets  Hill, 
Reigate,  for  the  photograph  of  Salacot  and  Bolo  taken 
from  very  fine  specimens  in  his  possession,  and  for  the 
use  of  other  photographs. 


S  A  LAM  AT 


To  Messrs.  Smith,  Bell  and  Co.  of  Manila,  for  the  very 
complete  table  of  exports  which  they  most  kindly  supplied. 

To  Don  Sixto  Lopez  of  Balayan,  for  the  loan  of  the 
Congressional  Record,  the  Blue  Book  of  the  55th  Congress, 
3rd  Session,  and  other  books. 

To  the  Superintendent  of  the  Reading  Room  and  his 
Assistants  for  their  courtesy  and  help  when  consulting  the 
old  Spanish  histories  in  the  noble  library  of  the  British 
Museum. 


ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF  WORKS  CITED,  RE- 
FERRED TO,  OR  STUDIED  WHILST  PRE- 
PARING  THIS   WORK. 


Abella,  Enrique — '  Informes  '  (Reports). 

Anonymous — '  Catdlogo  Oficial  de  la  Exposicion  de  Filipinas ' ; 
'  Filipinas  :  Problema  Fundamental,'  1887  ;  '  Relacion  de  las 
Yslas  Filipinas,'  1595;  'Las  Filipinas  se  pierden,'  a  scurrilous 
Spanish  pamphlet,  Manila,  1841  ;  'Aviso  al  publico,'  account  of 
an  attempt  by  the  French  to  cause  Joseph  Bonaparte  to  be 
acknowledged  King  of  the  Philippines. 

Barrantes  Vice7ite — *  Guerras  piraticas  de  Filipinas  contra  Mindanaos 
y  Joloanos,'  Madrid,  1878,  and  other  writings. 

Becke,  Louis — '  Wild  Life  in  Southern  Seas.' 

Bent,  Mrs.  Theodore — '  Southern  Arabia.' 

Blanco,  Padre — *  Flora  Filipina.' 

Bluvientritt,  Projessor  Ferdinand — '  Versuch  einer  Ethnographie  der 
Philippinen '  (Petermans). 

Brantome,  Abbd  de — (In  Motley's  '  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic.') 

Cavada,  Agustin  de  la — 'Historia,  Geografica,  Geologica,  y  estadistica 
de  Fihpinas,'  Manila,  1876,  1877. 

Centeno,  Jose — '  Informes'  (Reports). 

Clifford,  Hugh — '  Studies  in  Brown  Humanity,'  '  In  Court  and 
Kampong.' 

Coniyn,  Tonias  de. 

Crauford,  John — '  History  of  the  Indian  Archipelago,'  Edinburgh, 
1820  ;  '  Descriptive  Dictionary  of  the  Indian  Islands,'  London, 
1856. 

Cuming,  E.  D. — 'With  the  Jungle  Folk.' 

Dampier,  William — (from  Pinkerton). 

De  GuigJies — '  Voyage  to  Pekin,  Manila,  and  Isle  of  France.' 

VUrville,  Du^nont. 

Foreman,  John — '  The  Philippine  Islands,'  first  and  second  editions. 

Garcilasso,  Inca  de  la  Vega — '  Comentarios  Reales.' 

Gironierc,  Paul  de  la — '  Vingt  ans  aux  Philippines.' 

Jagor,  F. — '  Travels  in  the  Philippines.' 

Jesuits,  Society  of — '  Cartas  de  los  P.P.  de  la  C'*de  Jesus  de  la  mision 
de  Filipinas,'  Cuad'  ix  y  x  (1891-95)  ;  '  Estados  Generales,'  Manila, 
1896,  1897;  'Mapa  Politica  Hidrografica ' ;  'Piano  de  los 
Distritos  2°  y  5°  de  Mindanao'  ;  '  Mapa  de  Basilan.' 

Mas,  Sinibaldo  de — *  Informe  sobre  el  estado  de  las  Yslas  Filipinas 
en  1842.' 


xiv         ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF   WORKS   CITED 

Montana,  Dr.  J. — 'Voyage  aux  Philippines,'  Paris,  1886. 

Monteverdc,  Colonel  Federico  de — '  La  Division  Lachambre.' 

Morga,  Antonio  de — '  Sucesos  de  las  Yslas  Filipinas,'  Mejico,  1609. 

Motley,  John  Lothrop — 'Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic' 

Navarro,     Fr.     Eduardo — '  Filipinas.       Estudio     de     Asuntos     de 
momento,'  1897. 

Nieto  Jose — '  Mindanao,  su  Historia  y  Geographia,'  1894. 

Pali^rave,    W.   G. — 'Ulysses,  or  Scenes  in  Many  Lands';    'Malay 
Life  in  the  Philippines.' 

Pctermann — '  Petermanns  Mitth.',  Erganzungsheft  N'  67,  Gotha,  1882, 

Pigafetta — 'Voyage  Round  the  World,'  Pinkerton,  vol.  ii. 

Prescott — '  Conquest  of  Peru.' 

Posewitz,  Dr.  Theodor — '  Borneo,  its  Geology  and  Mineral  Resources.' 

Rathbone — '  Camping  and  Tramping  in  Malaya.' 

Reyes,  Ysabelo  dc  los — Pamphlet. 

Rizal — '  Noli  me  Tangere.' 

St.  John,  Spenser — '  Life  in  the  Forests  of  the  Far  East.' 

Torquemada,  Fray  Juan — '  Monarquia  Indiana.' 

Traill,  H.  D. — '  Lord  Cromer.' 

Vila,  Fraticisco — '  Filipinas,'  1880, 

Wallace,  Alfred R. — 'The  Malay  Archipelago.' 

Wingfield,  Hon.  Lewis — '  Wanderings  of  a  Globe-trotter.' 

Worcester,  Dean  C. — '  The  Philippine  Islands  and  their  People.' 

Yoiinghusband,  Major — '  The  Philippines  and  Round  About.' 

Magazine  Articles. 

Scribner  {George  F.  Becker) — 'Are  the  Philippines  Worth  Having?' 
Blackwood  {Anonymous) — 'The  Case  of  the  Philippines.' 
Tennie,    G.    Clafiin   {Lady    Cook) — '  Virtue    Defined '    {New    York 
Herald). 

Speeches. 

President  McKinley :  To  the  loth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Pittsburgh. 
Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid:  To  the  Miami  University,  Ohio. 
Senator  Hoar,  in  the  Senate. 

Blue  Book — 55th  Congress,  3rd  Session,  Doc.  No.  62,  Part  I. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTORY   AND   DESCRIPTIVE. 


CHAPTER   I. 

EXTENT,   BEAUTY  AND   FERTILITY. 

PACKS 

Extent,  beauty  and  fertility  of  the  Archipelago — Variety  of 
landscape — Vegetation — Mango  trees— Bamboos         .  .         i-6 

CHAPTER   II. 

SPANISH   GOVERNMENT. 

Slight   sketch  of  organization — Distribution  of  population — 

Collection  of  taxes — The  stick  ......       7-13 

CHAPTER   III. 

SIX   GOVERNORS-GENERAL. 

Moriones — Primo   de    Rivera — Jovellar — Terreros — Weyler — 

Despujols         .........     14-23 

CHAPTER   IV. 

COURTS   OF  JUSTICE. 

Alcaldes  —  The    Audiencia  —  The    Guardia    Civil  —  Do    not 

hesitate  to  shoot — Talas    .......     24-30 

CHAPTER  V. 

T.AGAL  CRIME   AND   SPANISH   JUSTICE. 

The  murder  of  a  Spaniard — Promptitude  of  the  Courts — The 
case  of  Juan  de  la  Cruz — Twelve  years  in  prison  waiting 
trial  —  Piratical  outrage  in  Luzon  —  Culprits  never  tried; 
several  die  in  prison  .......     31-47 


CONTENTS 


HISTORICAL. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CAUSES  OF  TAGAL  REVOLT. 

PAGES 

Corrupt  officials  —  "Laws  of  the  Indies" — Philippines  a 
dependency  of  Mexico,  up  to  1800 — The  opening  of  the 
Suez  Canal — Hordes  of  useless  officials — The  Asimilistas — 
Discontent,  but  no  disturbance — Absence  of  crime — Natives 
petition  for  the  expulsion  of  the  Friars — Many  signatories 
of  the  petition  punished     .......     48-56 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE   RELIGIOUS   ORDERS. 

The  Augustinians — Their  glorious  founder — Austin  Friars  in 
England — Scotland — Mexico — They  sail  with  Villalobos  for 
the  Islands  of  the  Setting  Sun — Their  disastrous  voyage — 
Fray  Andres  Urdaneta  and  his  companions — Foundation 
of  Cebii  and  Manila  with  two  hundred  and  forty  other  towns 
— Missions  to  Japan  and  China — The  Flora  Filipina — The 
Franciscans — The  Jesuits — -The  Dominicans — The  Recollets 
— Statistics  of  the  religious  orders  in  the  islands — Turbulence 
of  the  friars — Always  ready  to  fight  for  their  country — Furnish 
a  war  ship  and  command  it — Refuse  to  exhibit  the  titles 
of  their  estates  in  1689 — The  Augustinians  take  up  arms 
against  the  British — Ten  of  them  fall  on  the  field  of  battle 
— Their  rectories  sacked  and  burnt — Bravery  of  the  arch- 
bishop and  friars  in  1820 — -Father  Ibanez  raises  a  battalion 
— Leads  it  to  the  assault  of  a  Moro  Cotta — Execution  of 
native  priests  in  1872  —  Small  garrison  in  the  islands — 
Influence  of  the  friars ^ — -Their  behaviour  —  Herr  Jagor — 
Foreman  — Worcester  —  Younghusband — Opinion  of  Pope 
Clement  X.— Tennie  C.  Claflin — Equality  of  opportunity — 
Statesque  figures  of  the  girls — The  author's  experience  of 
the  Friars — The  Philippine  clerg)' — Who  shall  cast  the  first 
stone  ! — Constitution  of  the  orders — Life  of  a  friar — May 
become  an  Archbishop — The  Chapter        ....     57-70 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THEIR    ESTATES. 

Malinta  and  Piedad — Mandaloyan — San  Francisco  de  Mala- 
bon — Irrigation  works — Imus — Calamba — Cabuyao — Santa 
Rosa    Biiian-  San   Pedro   Tunasan — Naic — Santa   Cruz — 


CONTENTS 


Estates  a  bone  of  contention  for  centuries — Principal  cause 
of  revolt  of  Tagals — But  the  Peace  Commission  guarantee 
the  Orders  in  possession — Pacification  retarded — Summary 
— The  Orders  must  go  ! — And  be  replaced  by  natives  .     71-78 

CHAPTER   IX. 

SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

Masonic  Lodges — Execution  or  exile  of  Masons  in  1872 — The 
"Asociacion  Hispano  Filipina" — The  "  Liga  Filipina" — 
The  Katipunan — Its  programme         .....     79-S3 

CHAPTER   X. 

THE   INSURRECTION   OF    1 896-97. 

Combat  at  San  Juan  del  Monte — Insurrection  spreading — 
Arrival  of  reinforcements  from  Spain  —  Rebel  entrench- 
ments— Rebel  arms  and  artillery — Spaniards  repulsed  from 
Binacdyan — and  from  Noveleta — Mutiny  of  Carabineros — 
Prisoners  at  Cavite  attempt  to  escape — Iniquities  of  the 
Spanish  War  Office — Lachambre's  division— Rebel  organiza- 
tion— Rank  and  badges — Lachambre  advances — He  cap- 
tures Silang—  Perez  Dasmarinas — Salitran — Anabo  II.        .     84-96 

CHAPTER   XI. 

THE  INSURRECTION  OF  1 896-97 — Continued. 

The  Division  encamps  at  San  Nicolas — Work  of  the  native 
Engineer  soldiers  —  The  division  marches  to  Sahtran  — 
Second  action  at  Anabo  II. — Crispulo  Aguinaldo  killed — 
Storming  the  entrenchments  of  Anabo  I.— Burning  of  Imus 
by  the  rebels  —  Proclamation  by  General  Polavieja  — 
Occupation  of  Bacoor — Difficult  march  of  the  division — 
San  Antonio  taken  by  assault — Division  in  action  with  all 
its  artillery — Capture  of  Noveleta — San  Francisco  taken  by 
assault — Heavy  loss  of  the  Tagals — Losses  of  the  division 
— The  division  broken  up — Monteverde's  book — Polaveija 
returns  to  Spain — Primo  de  Rivera  arrives  to  take  his 
place — General  Monet's  butcheries — -The  pact  of  Biak-na- 
Bato  —  The  74th  Regiment  joins  the  insurgents  —  The 
massacre  of  the  Calle  Camba  —  Amnesty  for  torturers — 
Torture  in  other  countries  ......   97-108 

CHAPTER   Xn. 

THE  AMERICANS   IN  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Manila  Bay — The  naval  battle  of  Cavite — General  Aguinaldo 
— Progress  of  the  Tagals — The  Tagal  Republic — Who  were 
the  aggressors  ? — Requisites  for  a  settlement — Scenes  of 
drunkenness — The   estates   of   the  religious  orders    to   be 

b 


CONTENTS 


restored — Slow  progress  of  the  campaign- — Colonel  Fun- 
ston's  gallant  exploits — Colonel  Stotsenburg's  heroic  death 
— General  Antonio  Luna's  gallant  rally  of  his  troops  at 
Macabebe  —  Reports  manipulated — Imaginary  hills  and 
jungles — Want  of  co-operation  between  Army  and  Navy — 
Advice  of  Sir  Andrew  Clarke — Naval  officers  as  adminis- 
trators—  Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid's  denunciations  —  Senator 
Hoar's  opinion — Mr.  McKinley's  speech  at  Pittsburgh — The 
false  prophets  of  the  Philippines — Tagal  opinion  of  American 
Rule — Scfior  Mabini's  manifesto — Don  Macario  Adriatico's 
letter — Foreman's  prophecy — The  administration  misled — 
Racial  antipathy — The  curse  of  the  Redskins — The  recall  of 
General  Otis — ^McArthur  calls  for  reinforcements — Sixty- 
five  thousand  men  and  forty  ships  of  war — State  of  the 
islands — Aguinaldo  on  the  Taft  Commission       .  .  109-123 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

NATIVE  ADMIRATION   FOR  AMERICA. 

Their  fears  of  a  corrupt  government — The  islands  might  be 
an  earthly  paradise — Wanted,  the  man— Rajah  Brooke — 
Sir  Andrew  Clarke  —  Hugh  Chfford  —  John  Nicholson — 
Charles  Gordon — Evelyn  Baring — Mistakes  of  the  Peace 
Commission  —  Government  should  be  a  Protectorate  — 
Fighting  men  should  be  made  governors  —  What  might 
have  been — The  Malay  race  —  Senator  Hoar's  speech — 
Four  years' slaughter  of  the  Tagals    ....  124.- 128 


RESOURCES   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

RESOURCES  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

At  the  Spanish  conquest — Rice — the  lowest  use  the  land  can 
be  put  to — How  the  Americans  are  misled — Substitutes  for 
rice — Wheat  formerly  grown — Tobacco — Compania  General 
de  Tabacos — Abacd — Practically  a  monopoly  of  the  Philip- 
pines —  Sugar  —  Coffee  —  Cacao  —  I ndigo — Cocoa-nut  oil — 
Rafts  of  nuts— Copra — True  localities  for  cocoa  palm  groves 
Summary — More  sanguine  forecasts — Common-sense  view    139-138 

CHAPTER   XV. 

FOR  EST  A  L. 

Value  exaggerated  —  Difficulties  of  labour  and  transport  — 
Special  sawing  machiner}'  required — Market  for  timber  in 
the  islands — Teak  not  found — Jungle  produce— Warning  to 
investors  in  companies — Gutta  percha         .  .  .  139-142 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE   MINERALS. 

PAGES 

Gold:  Dampier — Pigafetta — De  Comyn — Placers  in  Luzon — 
Gapan  —  River  Agno  —  The  Igorrotes  —  Auriferous  quartz 
from  Antaniac — Capunga— Pangutantan — Goldpits  at  Suyuc 
— Atimonan — Paracale — Mambulao — ^Mount  Labo — Surigao 
River  Siga — Gigaquil,  Caninon-Binutong,  and  Cansostral 
Mountains  —  Misamis  —  Pighoulugan  —  Iponan  —  Pigtao — 
Dendritic  gold  from  Misamis — Placer  gold  traded  away 
surreptitiously — Cannot  be  taxed — Spanish  mining  laws — 
Pettifogging  lawyers— Prospects  for  gold  seekers.  Copper: 
Native  copper  at  Surigao  and  Torrijos  (Mindoro)— Copper 
deposits  at  Mancayan  worked  by  the  Igorrotes — Spanish 
company — Insufficient  data — Caution  required.  Iron:  Rich 
ores  found  in  the  Cordillera  of  Luzon — Worked  by  natives — 
Some  Europeans  have  attempted  but  failed — Red  hematite 
in  Cebii — Brown  hematite  in  Paracale — Both  red  and  brown 
in  Capiz — Oxydised  iron  in  Misamis — Magnetic  iron  in  San 
Mig-uel  de  Mayumo — Possibilities.  Coal  (so  called) :  Beds 
of  lignite  upheaved — Vertical  seams  at  Sugud — Reason  of 
failure — Analysis  of  Masbate  lignite.  Various  minerals: 
Galena  —  Red  lead  —  Graphite  —  Quicksilver  —  Sulphur 
Asbestos — Yellow  ochre — Kaolin,  Marble — Plastic  clays — 
Mineral  waters  .......  143-157 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

MANUFACTURES  AND   INDUSTRIES. 

Cigars  and  cigarettes  —  Textiles  —  Cotton  —  Abacd  —  Jusi — 
Rengue — Nipis — Saguran — Sinamdy — Guingon — Silk  hand- 
kerchiefs—  Piha — Cordage —  Bayones — -  Esteras —  Baskets- 
Lager  beer — Alcohol — Wood  oils  and  resins — Essence  of 
Ylang-ilang — Salt — Bricks — Tiles — Cooking-pots  —  Pilones 
— Ollas — Embroidery — Goldsmiths'  and  silversmiths'  work 
— Salacots — Cocoa-nut  oil— Saddles  and  harness — Carro- 
matas  —  Carriages  —  Schooners  —  Launches  —  Lorchas  — 
Cascos — Pontines — Bangcas — Engines  and  boilers — Furni- 
ture— Fireworks — Lanterns — Brass  Castings — Fish  breeding 
— Drying  sugar — Baling  hemp — Repacking  wet  sugar — 
Oppressive  tax  on  industries — Great  future  for  manufactures 
— Abundant    labour — Exceptional  intelligence    .  .  158-16 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

COMMERCIAL  AND   INDUSTRIAL  PROSPECTS. 

Philippines  not  a  poor  man's  countrj- — Oscar  F.  Williams' 
letter  —  No  occupation  for  white  mechanics  —  American 
merchants  unsuccessful   in  the  East — Difficulties  of  living 

b  2 


CONTENTS 


amongst  Malays — Inevitable  quarrels — Unsuitable  climate 
— The  Mali-niali  or  Sakit-latah— The  Traspaso  de  hambrc 
— Chiflados — Wreck  of  the  nervous  system — Effects  of  abuse 
of  alcohol  —  Capital  the  necessity —  Banks — Advances  to 
cultivators — To  timber  cutters — To  gold  miners — Central 
sugar  factories —  Paper-mills --Rice-mills  —  Cotton-mills — 
Saw-mills — Coasting  steamers  —  Railway  from  Manila  to 
Batangas — From  Siniloan  to  the  Pacific — Survey  for  ship 
canal — Bishop  Gainzas'  project — Tramways  for  Luzon  and 
Panay — Small  steamers  for  Mindanao — Chief  prospect  is 
agriculture        ........  164-172 


SOCIAL. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

LIFE   IN  MANILA. 

{A  Chapter  for  the  Ladies^ 

Climate — Seasons  —  Terrible  Month  of  May — Hot  winds — 
Longing  for  rain — Burst  of  the  monsoon — The  Alimdom — 
Never  sleep  on  the  ground  floor — Dress — Manila  houses — 
Furniture — Mosquitoes  —  Baths — Gogo  —  Servants — Wages 
in  1892 — The  Maestro  cook  —  The  guild  of  cooks — The 
Mayordomo  —  Household  budget,  1892  —  Diet  —  Drinks — 
Ponies — Carriage  a  necessity  for  a  lady — The  garden — 
Flowers  —  Shops  —  Pedlars  ■ —  Amusements  —  Necessity  of 
access  to  the  hills — Good  Friday  in  Manila         .  .  1 73-1 87 


CHAPTER   XX. 

SPORT. 

{A  Chapter  for  Men.) 

The  Jockey  Club — Training — The  races — An  Archbishop  pre- 
siding— The  Totalisator  or  Pari  Mutuel — The  Manila  Club 
— Boating  club — Rifle  clubs — Shooting — Snipe — Wild  duck 
— Plover — Quail  —  Pigeons  —  Tabon  —  Labuyao,  or  jungle 
cock — Pheasants — Deer — Wild  pig — No  sport  in  fishing        188-191 


CONTENTS 


GEOGRAPHICAL. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

BRIEF  GEOGRAPHICAL   DESCRIPTION  OF   LUZON. 

I'AGES 

Irregular  shape — Harbours — Bays — Mountain  ranges— Blank 
spaces  on  maps — North-east  coast  unexplored — -River  and 
valley  of  Cagayan — Central  valley  from  Bay  of  Lingayen  to 
Bay  of  Manila — Rivers  Agno,  Chico,  Grande — The  Pinag  of 
Candaba — Project  for  draining — River  Pasig— Laguna  de 
Bay — Lake  of  Taal — Scene  of  a  cataclysm — Collapse  of  a 
volcanic  cone  8000  feet  high — Black  and  frowning  island 
of  Mindoro — Worcester's  pluck  and  endurance — Placers  of 
Camarines — River  Vicol — The  wondrous  purple  cone  of 
Mayon — Luxuriant  vegetation.  ....  192-200 


THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Description  of  their  appearance,  dress,  arms,  religioti,  manners 
and  customs,  and  the  localities  they  inhabit,  their  agrictdtiire, 
industries  and  pursuits,  with  suggestions  as  to  how  they  can 
be  utilised,  commercially  atid  politically.^  .  With  many  un- 
published photographs  of  natives,  their  arfns,  ornatnents, 
sepulchres  and  idols. 


ABORIGINAL   INHABITANTS. 

SCATTERED   OVER   THE   ISLANDS. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

AETAS  OR  NEGRITOS. 

Including  Balugas,  Dumdgas,  Mamanuas,  and  Manguidnes    201-207 


CONTENTS 


PART   I. 

INHABITANTS  OF   LUZON   AND  ADJACENT   ISLANDS. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

PAGES 

Tagals  (i) 208-221 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

TAGALS  AS  SOLDIERS   AND   SAILORS      .  222-237 

CHAPTER   XXV. 
Pampangos  (2) 238-245 

CHAPTER   XXVI. 

Zambales   (3) — Pangasinanes   (4)— Ilocanos   (5) — Ibanags  or 

Cagayanes  (6) 246-253 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 
Igorrotes  (7) 254-267 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Isinays  (11) — Abacas  (12) — Italones  (13) — Ibilaos  (14) — Ilon- 
gotes  (15) — Mayoyaos  and  Silipanes  (16) — Ifugaos  (17) — 
Gaddanes  (18)— Itetapanes  (19) — Guinanes  (20)  .  268-273 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Calduas  or  Itaves  (21)— Camuangas  and  Bayabonanes  (22) — 
Dadayags  (23) — Nabayuganes  (24) — Aripas  (25) — Calingas 
(26) — Tinguianes  (27)— Adangs  (28) — Apayaos  (29) — Cata- 
langanes  and  Irayas  (30-31) 274-282 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
Catubanganes  (32)— Vicols  (33) 283-287 

CHAPTER   XXXI. 

THE   CHINESE    IN   LUZON. 

Mestizos  or  half-breeds         ......  288-294 


CONTENTS 


PART   II. 

THE  VISAYAS    AND    PALAWAN. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  VISAYAS   ISLANDS. 


PAGBS 


Area  and  population — Panay — Negros — Cebu — Bohol — Leyte 
— Samar  ........  295-299 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE  VISAYAS  RACE. 

Appearance — Dress — Look  upon  Tagals  as  foreigners — Favour- 
able opinion  of  Tomas  de  Comyn — Old  Christians — Constant 
wars  with  the  Moro  pirates  and  Sea  Dayaks — Secret  heathen 
rites  —  Accusation  of  indolence  unfounded  —  Exports  of 
hemp  and  sugar — Ilo-ilo  sugar — Cebu  sugar — Textiles — A 
promising  race  .......  300-306 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

THE   ISLAND  OF  PALAWAN,  OR  PARAGUA. 

The     Tagbanuas  —  Tandulanos  —  M  anguianes  —  Negritos  — 

Moros  of  southern  Palawan — Tagbanua  alphabet        .  307-320 


PART   III. 

MINDANAO,   INCLUDING  BASILAN. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 

BRIEF  GEOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION. 

Configuration  —  Mountains —  Rivers —  Lakes —  Division   into 
districts — Administration — Productions— Basilan         .  321-330 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  TRIBES  OF  MINDANAO, 


Visayas  (i)  [Old  Christians] — Mamanuas  (2)— Manobos  (3; — 
Mandayas  (4)  —  Mangudngas  (5)  —  Montdses  or  Buquid- 
ndnes  (6)— At4s  or  Ata-as  (7)— Guiangas  (8)— Bagobos  (9)     331,  35 ' 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE  TRIBES  OF  MINDANAO — contifuicd. 

Calaganes  (10)  —  Tagacaolos  (11)  —  Dulanganes  (12) — Tiru- 
raves  (13) — Tagabelies  (14) — Samales  (15) — Vilanes  (16) — 
Subanos  (17)   352-360 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE  MOROS,   OR  MAHOMETAN  MALAYS   (18  TO  23). 

Illanos  (18) — Sanguiles  (19) — Lutangas  (20) — Calibuganes  (21) 
Yacanes  (22) — Samales  (23) 361-373 

CHAPTER   XXXIX. 
Tagabduas  (24) 374-375 

The  Chinese  in  Mindanao. 

N.B. — The  territory  occupied  by  each  tribe  is  shown  on 
the  general  map  of  Mindanao  by  the  number  on  this  list. 

CHAPTER  XL. 

the  political  condition   of  MINDANAO,    1899. 

Relapse  into  savagery — Moros  the  great  danger — Visayas  the 
mainstay  —  Confederation  of  Lake  Lanao  —  Recall  of  the 
Missionaries — Murder  and  pillage  in  Davao — Eastern  Min- 
danao-— Western  Mindanao — The  three  courses — Orphanage 
of  Tamontaca — Fugitive  slaves — Polygamy  an  impediment 
to  conversion — Labours  of  the  Jesuits — American  Roman 
Catholics  should  send  them  help        ....  376-388 


CONTENTS 


APPENDIX. 

PAGE 

Chronological  Table 389 

Table  of  Exports  for  twelve^Years   .        .        .        .        411 

Estimate  of  Population 415 

Philippine  Budget  of   1897  compared  with  Revknuk 

of  1887 416, 417 

Value  of  Land  in  several  Provinces  of  Luzon  .        .        418 

List  of  Spanish  and  Filipino  Words  used  in 

THE  Work 419 

Cardinal  Numbers  in  Seven  Malay  Dialects     .        .        422 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Portrait  of  the  Author Frontispiece 

View  on  the  Pasig  with  Bamboos  and  Canoe    To  face  p.       6 
Facsimile  of  C^dula  Personal       ...  „  53 
Some  of  the  rising  generation  in  the  Philip- 
pines    „             75 

Map  of  the  Philippine  Islands      ...  „  150 

Group  of  women  making  Cigars      ...  „  158 

Salacots  and  Women's  Hats  ....  „  160 

Author's  office,  Muelle  Del  Rey,  ss.  Salva- 

dora,  and  Lighters  called  "Cascos"      .  „  161 

River  Pasig,  showing  Russell  and  Sturgis's 

former  office „  166 

Tower    of    Manila    Cathedral    after    the] 

Earthquakes,  1880      .... 
Suburb  of  Malate  after  a  typhoon,  October,  \Betweenpp.  168-9 

1882,  when  thirteen  ships  were  driven 

ashore  .... 

Author's  house  at  Ermita 
Fernery  at  Ermita. 
A  Negrito  from  Negros  Island 
A  Manila  Man. 
A  Manila  Girl. 
Tagal  Girl  wearing  Scapulary 
Carabao  harnessed  to  native  Plough 

Ploughman,  Village,  and  Church    , 
Paddy  field  recently  planted       .        .        j 
Paulino  Morillo,  a  Tagal  of  Laguna,  buti.er 

to  the  author To  face  p.    229 

A  Farderia,  or  Sugar  Drying  and  Packing 

place „  240 


.  To  face  p.  177 
185 
207 

\  Between  pp.  208-9 

.     To  face  p.     216 

\Betweenpp.  226-7 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


IGORROTE  Spearmen  and  Negrito  Archer 
Anitos  of  Northern  Tribes    .        .        .        | 
Anitos  of  the  Igorrotes.        .        .        .         f 
Coffin   of  an    Igorrote    Noble,    with    his 

Coronets  and  other  Ornaments 
Weapons  of  the  Highlanders  of  Luzon 
Igorrote   Dresses   and    Ornaments,  Water- 
Jar,  Dripstones,  Pipes,  and  Baskets 
Anitos,  Highlands  of  Luzon  . 
Anito  of  the  Igorrotes  . 
Igorrote  Drums 

Tinguianes,  Aeta,  and  Igorrotes 
VicoLS  preparing  Hemp  : — 

Cutting  the  Plant 

Separating  the  Petioles 

Adjusting  under  the  Knife 

Drawing  out  the  Fibre 
VisAYAS  Women  at  a  Loom 
Lieut.  P.  Garcia  and  Local  Militia  of  Ba- 

GANGA,  CARAGA  (EAST  COAST) 

Atas  from  the  Back  Slopes  of  the  Apo 
Heathen  Guiangas,  from  the  Slopes  of  the 

Apo 

Father  Gisbert,  S.J.,  exhorting  a  Bagobo\ 
Datto  and  his  Followers  to  Abandon 
their  Custom  of  Making  Human  Sacri- 
fices     

The  Datto  Manib,  Principal  Bagani  of  the 
Bagobos,  with  some  Wives  and  Followers 
and  Two  Missionaries 
The  Moro  Sword  and  Spear  . 
MOROS  OF  the  Bay  of  Mayo    . 
Moro  Lantacas  and  Coat  of  Mail 
Seat  of  the  Moro  Power,  Lake  Lanao 
Double-barrelled  Lantaca  of  Artistic  De- 
sign and  Moro  Arms  .... 


To  face  p.    254 
258 

259 
261 

264 

„  266 

„  276 

287 

305 

333 
347 

„  349 

\Betweenpp.  350-1 


To  face  p. 


363 
367 
373 
377 

387 


THE 

INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

CHAPTER  I. 

EXTENT,   BEAUTY  AND   FERTILITY. 

Extent,  beauty,  and  fertility  of  the  Archipelago — Variety  of  landscape 
— Vegetation — Mango  trees — Bamboos. 

Extent. 

The  Philippine  Archipelago,  in  which  I  include  the  Sulu 
group,  lies  entirely  within  the  northern  tropic  ;  the  southern- 
most island  of  the  Tawi-tawi  group  called  Sibutu  reaches 
down  to  4°  38'  N.,  whilst  Yami,  the  northernmost  islet  of 
the  Batanes  group,  lies  in  21°  7'  N.  This  gives  an  extreme 
length  of  1 100  miles,  whilst  the  extreme  breadth  is  about 
680  miles,  measured  a  little  below  the  8th  parallel  from  the 
Island  of  Balabac  to  the  east  coast  of  Mindanao. 

Various  authorities  give  the  number  of  islands  and  islets 
at  1200  and  upwards  ;  many  have  probably  never  been 
visited  by  a  white  man.  We  need  only  concern  ourselves 
with  the  principal  islands  and  those  adjacent  to  them. 

From  the  hydrographic  survey  carried  out  by  officers 
of  the  Spanish  Navy,  the  following  areas  have  been  calculated 
and  are  considered  official,  except  those  marked  with  an 
asterisk,  which  are  only  estimated. 

Sq.  Miles.  Sq.  Miles. 

42,458 


JIl            .            .            .            . 

Babuyanes  Islands 

272 

Batanes  Islands  . 

104 

Mindoro 

4,153 

Catanduanes 

721 

Marinduque 

332 

Polillo 

300 

Burids 

116 

Ticao  . 

144 

Masbate 

1,642 

7,784 

Total  Luzon  and  adjacent  islands       .        50,242 

B 


THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Sq.  Miles. 

Sq.  Miles. 

Brought  forward 

. 

50,242 

Visayas,  etc. 

Panay 

4,898 

Negros 

3,592 

Cebii   .          .          .          . 

2,285 

Bohol. 

1,226 

Leyte  .... 

3,706 

Samar 

5,182 

20,889 

*  Mindanao  .... 

34,456 

'"  Palawan  and  Balabac . 

. 

5,963 

Calamianes  Islands     . 

• 

640 

Area  of  principal  islands 


112,190 


The  Spanish  official  estimate  of  the  area  of  the  whole 
Archipelago  is  114,214  square  miles  f  equivalent  to 
73,000,000  acres,  so  that  the  remaining  islands  ought  to 
measure  between  them  something  over  2000  square  miles. 


Beauty  and  Fertility. 

Lest  I  should  be  taxed  with  exaggeration  when  I 
record  my  impressions  of  the  beauty  and  potential  wealth 
of  the  Archipelago,  so  far  as  I  have  seen  it  ;  I  shall 
commence  by  citing  the  opinions  of  some  who,  at  different 
times,  have  visited  the  islands. 

I  think  I  cannot  do  better  than  give  precedence  to  the 
impressions  of  two  French  gentlemen  who  seem  to  me  to 
have  done  justice  to  the  subject,  then  cite  the  calm  judg- 
ment of  a  learned  and  sagacious  Teuton,  and  lastly  quote 
from  the  laboured  paragraphs  of  a  much-travelled  cos- 
mopolite, at  one  time  Her  Britannic  Majesty's  Consul  at 
Manila. 

Monsieur  Dumont  D'Urville  says :  "  The  Philippines, 
and  above  all  Luzon,  have  nothing  in  this  world  to  equal 
them  in  climate,  beauty  of  landscape,  and  fertility  of  soil. 
Luzon  is  the  finest  diamond  that  the  Spanish  adventurers 
have  ever  found. 

"  It  has  remained  uncut  in  their  hands  ;  but  deliver  over 
Luzon  to  British  activity  and  tolerance,  or  else  to  the 
laborious  tenacity  of  the  Dutch  Creoles,  and  you  will  see 
what  will  come  out  of  this  marvellous  gem." 

t  England  has  51,000  square  miles  area;  Wales,  7378  j  Ireland, 
31,759  ;  Scotland,  nearly  30,000.  Total,  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
etc.,  121,000  square  miles. 


BEAUTY  AND   FERTILITY 


Monsieur  de  Guignes  says:  "Of  the  numerous  colonies 
belonging  to  the  Spaniards,  as  one  of  the  most  important 
must  indisputably  be  reckoned  the  Philippines.  Their 
position,  their  great  fertility,  and  the  nature  of  their  pro- 
ductions, render  them  admirably  adapted  for  active  com- 
merce, and  if  the  Spaniards  have  not  derived  much  benefit 
from  them,  to  themselves  and  to  their  manner  of  training 
is  the  fault  to  be  ascribed." 

Herr  Jagor,  speaking  of  the  Province  of  Bulacan,  says 
the  roads  were  good  and  were  continuously  shaded  by 
fruit  trees,  cocoa  and  areca  palms,  and  the  aspect  of  this 
fruitful  province  reminded  him  of  the  richest  districts  in 
Java,  but  he  found  the  pueblos  here  exhibited  more  comfort 
than  the  desas  there. 

Mr.  Gififord  Palgrave  says  :  "  Not  the  ^gean,  not  the 
West  Indian,  not  the  Samoan,  not  any  other  of  the  fair 
island  clusters  by  which  our  terraqueous  planet  half  atones 
for  her  dreary  expanses  of  grey  ocean  and  monotonous 
desert  elsewhere,  can  rival  in  manifold  beauties  of  earth, 
sea,  sky,  the  Philippine  Archipelago  ;  nor  in  all  that  Archi- 
pelago, lovely  as  it  is  through  its  entire  extent,  can  any 
island  vie  with  the  glories  of  Luzon." 


Variety  of  Landscape. 

If  I  may  without  presumption  add  my  testimony  to 
that  of  these  illustrious  travellers,  I  would  say  that,  having 
been  over  a  great  part  of  South  America,  from  Olinda  Point 
to  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  from  Tierra  del  Fuego  to 
Panama,  not  only  on  the  coasts  but  in  the  interior,  from 
the  Pampas  of  the  Argentine  and  the  swamps  of  the  Gran 
Chaco  to  where 

"  The  roots  of  the  Andes  strike  deep  in  the  earth 
As  their  summits  to  heaven  shoot  soaringly  forth ; " 

having  traversed  the  fairest  gems  of  the  Antilles  and  seen 
some  of  the  loveliest  landscapes  in  Japan,  I  know  of  no  land 
more  beautiful  than  Luzon,  certainly  of  none  possessing 
more  varied  features  or  offering  more  striking  contrasts. 

Limestone  cliffs  and  pinnacles,  cracked  and  hollowed 
into  labyrinthine  caves,  sharp  basalt  peaks,  great  ranges  of 
mountains,  isolated  volcanic  cones,  cool  crystalline  springs, 
jets  of  boiling  water,  cascades,  rivers,  lakes,  swamps,  narrow 

B  2 


THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


valleys  and  broad  plains,  rocky  promontories  and  coral 
reefs,  every  feature  is  present,  except  the  snow-clad  peak 
and  the  glacier. 

Vegetation. 

Vegetation  here  runs  riot,  hardly  checked  by  the  devas- 
tating typhoon,  or  the  fall  of  volcanic  ashes.  From  the 
cocoa-nut  palm  growing  on  the  coral  strand,  from  the 
mangrove,  building  its  pyramid  of  roots  upon  the  ooze,  to 
the  giant  bamboo  on  the  banks  of  the  streams,  and  the 
noble  mango  tree  adorning  the  plains,  every  tropical 
species  flourishes  in  endless  variety,  and  forests  of  coni- 
fers *  clothe  the  summits  of  the  Zambales  and  Ilocan 
mountains. 

As  for  the  forest  wealth,  the  trees  yielding  indestructible 
timber  for  ships,  houses  or  furniture,  those  giving  valuable 
drugs  and  healing  oils,  gums  and  pigments,  varnishes, 
pitch  and  resin,  dyes,  sap  for  fermenting  or  distilling,  oil 
for  burning,  water,  vinegar,  milk,  fibre,  charcoal,  pitch, 
fecula,  edible  fungi,  tubers,  bark  and  fruits,  it  would  take  a 
larger  book  than  this  to  enumerate  them  in  their  incredible 
variety. 

Mango  Trees. 

A  notable  feature  of  the  Philippine  landscape  is  the 
mango  tree.  This  truly  magnificent  tree  is  often  of  perfect 
symmetry,  and  rears  aloft  on  its  massive  trunk  and  wide- 
spreading  branches  a  perfect  dome  of  green  and  glistening 
leaves,  adorned  in  season  with  countless  strings  of  sweet- 
scented  blossom  and  pendent  clusters  of  green  and  golden 
fruit,  incomparably  luscious,  unsurpassed,  unequalled. 

Beneath  that  shapely  vault  of  verdure  the  featheied 
tribes  find  shelter.  The  restless  mango  bird  f  displays  his 
contrasted  plumage  of  black  and  yellow  as  he  flits  from 
bough  to  bough,  the  crimson-breasted  pigeon  and  the  ring- 
dove rest  secure. 

These  glorious  trees  are  pleasing  objects  for  the  eye  to 
rest  on.  All  through  the  fertile  valleys  of  Luzon  they  stand 
singly  or  in  groups,  and  give  a  character  to  the  landscape 
whit;h  would  otherwise  be  lacking.     Only  the  largest  and 

*  Worcester,  p.  446,  mentions  Conifers  at  sea  level  in  Sibuyan 
Island,  province  of  Romblon. 

t  Called  in  Spanish  the  oropdndola  {Brodcripus  achrorchus). 


BAMBOOS  5 


finest  English  oaks  can  compare  with  the  mango  trees  in 
appearance  ;  but  whilst  the  former  yield  nothing  of  value, 
one  or  two  mango  trees  will  keep  a  native  family  in  comfort 
and  even  affluence  with  their  generous  crop. 

Bamboos. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Philippine  streams  and  rivers  that 
giant  grass,  the  thorny  bamboo,  grows  and  thrives.  It 
grows  in  clumps  of  twenty,  forty,  fifty  stems.  Starting  from 
the  ground,  some  four  to  six  inches  in  diameter,  it  shoots 
aloft  for  perhaps  seventy  feet,  tapering  to  the  thickness  of 
a  match  at  its  extremity,  putting  forth  from  each  joint 
slender  and  thorny  branches,  carrying  small,  thin,  and 
pointed  leaves,  so  delicately  poised  as  to  rustle  with  the 
least  breath  of  air. 

The  canes  naturally  take  a  gradual  curve  which  becomes 
more  and  more  accentuated  as  their  diameter  diminishes, 
until  they  bend  over  at  their  tops  and  sway  freely  in  the 
breeze. 

I  can  only  compare  a  fine  clump  of  bamboos  to  a  giant 
plume  of  green  ostrich  feathers.  Nothing  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom  is  more  graceful,  nothing  can  be  more  useful. 
Under  the  blast  of  a  typhoon  the  bamboo  bends  so  low 
that  it  defies  all  but  the  most  sudden  and  violent  gusts.  If, 
however,  it  succumbs,  it  is  generally  the  earth  under  it  that 
gives  way,  and  the  whole  clump  falls,  raising  its  interlaced 
roots  and  a  thick  wall  of  earth  adhering  to  and  embraced 
by  them. 

Piercing  the  hard  earth,  shoving  aside  the  stones  with 
irresistible  force,  comes  the  new  bamboo,  its  head  emerging 
like  a  giant  artichoke. 

Each  flinty-headed  shoot  soars  aloft  with  a  rapidity' 
astonishing  to  those  who  have  only  witnessed  the  tardy 
growth  of  vegetation  in  the  temperate  zone.  I  carefully 
measured  a  shoot  of  bamboo  in  my  garden  in  Santa  Ana 
and  found  that  it  grew  two  feet  in  three  days,  that  is,  eight 
inches  a  day,  \  inch  per  hour.  I  could  see  it  grow.  When  I 
commenced  to  measure  the  shoot  it  was  eighteen  inches 
high  and  was  four  inches  in  diameter.  This  rapid  growth, 
which,  considering  the  extraordinary  usefulness  of  the 
bamboo  ought  to  excite  man's  gratitude  to  Almighty  Provi- 
dence, has,  to  the  shame  of  human  nature,  led  the  Malay 
and  the  Chinaman  to  utilise  the  bamboo  to  inflict  death  by 


6  THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

hideous  torture  on  his  fellow  men.  (See  TGkang  Burok's 
story  in  Hugh  Clifford's  '  Studies  of  Brown  Humanity.') 

Each  joint  is  carefully  enveloped  by  nature  in  a  wrapper 
as  tough  as  parchment,  covered,  especially  round  the  edges, 
with  millions  of  small  spines.  The  wrapper,  when  dry,  is 
brown,  edged  with  black,  but  when  fresh  the  colours  are 
remarkable,  pale  yellow,  dark  yellow,  orange,  brown,  black, 
pale  green,  dark  green,  black  ;  all  shaded  or  contrasted  in  a 
way  to  make  a  Parisian  dress  designer  feel  sick  with  envy. 

This  wrapper  does  not  fall  off  till  the  joint  has  hardened 
and  acquired  its  flinty  armour  so  as  to  be  safe  from  damage 
by  any  animal. 

It  would  take  a  whole  chapter  to  enumerate  the  many 
and  varied  uses  of  the  bamboo. 

Suffice  it  to  say  that  I  cannot  conceive  how  the 
Philippine  native  could  do  without  it. 

Everlastingly  renewing  its  youth,  perpetually  soaring 
to  the  sky,  proudly  overtopping  all  that  grows,  splendidly 
flourishing  when  meaner  plants  must  fade  from  drought, 
this  giant  grass,  which  delights  the  eyes,  takes  rank  as  one 
of  God's  noblest  gifts  to  tropical  man. 


(     7     ) 


CHAPTER   II. 

SPANISH   GOVERNMENT, 

Slight  sketch  of  organization — Distribution  of  population — Collection 
of  taxes — The  stick. 

The  supreme  head  of  the  administration  was  a  Governor- 
General  or  Captain-General  of  the  Philippines.  The  British 
Colonial  Office  has  preserved  this  Spanish  title  in  Jamaica 
where  the  supreme  authority  is  still  styled  Captain-General 
and  Governor-in-Chief. 

In  recent  years  no  civilian  has  been  Governor-General 
of  the  Philippines,  the  appointment  being  given  or  sold  to  a 
Lieutenant-General,  though  in  1883  a  Field-Marshal  was 
sent  out.  But  in  1874  Rear-Admiral  Malcampo  obtained 
the  post,  and  a  very  weak  and  foolish  Governor-General  he 
turned  out  to  be. 

In  former  times  military  men  did  not  have  a  monopoly 
of  such  posts,  and  civilians,  judges,  priests,  and  bishops 
have  held  this  appointment. 

The  Governor-General  had  great  powers.  Practically, 
if  not  legally,  he  had  the  power  of  life  and  death,  for  he 
could  proclaim  martial  law  and  try  offenders  by  court- 
martial.  He  was  ex  officio  president  of  every  corporation 
or  commission,  and  he  could  expel  from  the  Islands  any 
person,  whether  Spaniard,  native,  or  foreigner,  by  a  decree 
declaring  that  his  presence  was  inconvenient. 

Slight  Sketch  of  Organization. 

He  could  suspend  or  remove  any  official,  and  in  fact  was 
almost  despotic.  On  the  other  hand  he  had  to  remember 
two  important  limitations.  Unless  he  supported  the  reli- 
gious orders  against  all  comers  he  would  have  the  Procu- 
rators of  these  wealthy  corporations,  who  reside  in  Madrid, 
denouncing  him  to  the  Ministry  as  an  anti-clerical,  and  a 


8  THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


freemason,  and  perhaps  offering  a  heavy  bribe  for  his 
removal.  If  he  made  an  attempt  to  put  down  corruption 
and  embezzlement  in  the  Administration,  his  endeavours 
would  be  thwarted  in  every  possible  way  by  the  officials, 
and  a  formidable  campaign  of  calumny  and  detraction 
would  be  inaugurated  against  him.  The  appointment 
was  for  a  term  of  three  years  at  a  salary  of  $40,000 
per  annum,  and  certain  very  liberal  travelling  allowances. 

Since  the  earthquake  of  (1863  the  official  residence  of 
the  Governors-General  was  at  Malacafian,  on  the  River 
Pasig  in  the  ward  of  San  Miguel.  This  is  now  the  resi- 
dence of  the  American  Governor.  He  had  a  troop  of 
native  Lancers  to  escort  him  when  he  drove  out,  and  a 
small  corps  of  Halberdiers  for  duty  within  the  palace  and 
grounds.  These  latter  wore  a  white  uniform  with  red 
facings,  and  were  armed  with  a  long  rapier  and  a  halberd. 
They  were  also  furnished  with  rifles  and  bayonets  for  use 
in  case  of  an  emergency. 

When  the  Governor-General  drove  out,  every  man 
saluted  him  by  raising  his  hat — and  when  he  went  to  the 
Cathedral  he  was  received  by  the  clergy  at  the  door, 
and,  on  account  of  being  the  Vice-Regal  Patron,  was 
conducted  under  a  canopy  along  the  nave  to  a  seat  of 
honour. 

His  position  was  in  fact  one  of  great  power  and  dignity, 
and  it  was  felt  necessary  to  surround  the  representative  of 
the  king  with  much  pomp  and  state  in  order  to  impress  the 
natives  with  his  importance  and  authority. 

There  was  a  Governor-General  of  Visayas  who  resided 
at  Cebu,  and  was  naturally  subordinate  to  the  Governor- 
General  of  the  Philippines.  He  was  usually  a  Brigadier- 
General. 

In  case  of  the  death  or  absence  of  the  Governor-General, 
the  temporary  command  devolved  upon  the  Segundo  Cabo, 
a  general  officer  in  immediate  command  of  the  military 
forces.  Failing  him,  the  Acting  Governor-Generalship 
passed  to  the  Admiral  commanding  the  station. 

The  two  principal  departments  of  the  administration 
were  the  Intendencia  or  Treasury,  and  the  Direction  of 
Civil  Administration. 

The  Archipelago  is  divided  into  fifty-one  provinces 
or  districts,  according  .to  the  accompanying  table  and 
map. 


SLIGHT^SKETCH  OF  ORGANIZATION 


Distribution  of  Population. 

Provinces. 

Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

Abra        ..... 

21,631 

21,016 

42,647 

Albay      . 

127,413 

130,120 

257,533 

Antique   . 

60,193 

63,910 

124,103 

Baldbac  . 

1,912 

27 

1,939 

Batain    . 

25,603 

24,396 

49,999 

Batangas 

137,143 

137,932 

275,075 

Benguet  (district)      . 

8,206 

12,104 

20,310 

Bohol      , 

109,472 

117,074 

226,546 

Bontoc    . 

40,515 

41,914 

82,429 

Bulacdn  . 

127,455 

124,694 

252,149 

Bun'as     . 

84 

44 

128 

Cagaydn . 

37,157 

35,540 

72,697 

Calamianes 

8,227 

8,814 

17,041 

Camarines  Norte 

15,931 

14,730 

30,661 

Camarines  Sur 

78,545 

77,852 

156,400 

Cdpiz 

114,827 

128,417 

243,244 

Cavite 

66,523 

65,541 

132,064 

Cebu 

201,066 

202,230 

403,296 

Corregidor  (island  of 

)        • 

216 

203 

419 

Cottabato 

788 

494 

1,282 

Ddvao     . 

983 

712 

1.695 

I  locos  Norte    . 

76,913 

79,802 

156,715 

Ilocos  Sur 

97,916 

103,133 

201,049 

Ilo-IIo     . 

203,879 

206,551 

410,430 

Infanta  (district) 

4,947 

4,947 

9,894 

Isabela  de  Basilan 

454 

338 

792 

Isabela  de  Luzon 

20,251 

18,365 

38, 616 

Islas  Batanes  . 

4,004 

4,741 

8,745 

Isla  de  Negros 

106,851 

97,818 

204,669 

Laguna    . 

66,332 

66,172 

' 32, 504 

Lepanto  . 

8,255 

16,219 

24,474 

Leyte 

113,275 

107,240 

220,515 

Manila    . 

137,280 

120,994 

258,274 

Masbate  and  Ticao 

8,835 

8,336 

17,171 

Mindoro  . 

29,220 

28,908 

58,128 

Misamis  . 

46,020 

42,356 

88,376 

M6rong  . 

21,506 

21,556 

43,062 

Nueva  Ecija     . 

63,456 

60,315 

123,771 

Nueva  Vizcaya 

8,495 

7,612 

16,107 

Pampanga 

114,425 

111,884 

226,309 

Pangasindn 

149,141 

144,150 

293,291 

Principe  (district) 

2,085 

2,073 

4,158 

Puerto  Princesa 

350 

228 

578 

Rombldn 

14,528 

13,626 

28,154 

Samar     . 

92,330 

86,560 

178,890 

Surigao  . 

28,371 

27,875 

56,246 

Tarlac     . 

42,432 

40,325 

82,757 

Tayabas . 

27,886 

25,782 

53,668 

Uni6n 

55,802 

57,568 

113,370 

Zambales 

49,617 

44,934 

94,551 

Zamboanga 

7,683 

6,461 

14,144 

2,794,876 

2,762,743 

5,557,619 

lo       THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  above  figures  are  taken  from  the  official  census 
of  1877. 

This  is  the  latest  I  have  been  able  to  find. 

In  the  Appendix  is  given  an  estimate  of  the  population 
in  1890,  the  author  puts  the  number  at  8,000,000,  and  at 
this  date  there  may  well  be  9,000,000  inhabitants  in  the 
Philippines  and  Sulus, 

It  will  be  seen  that  these  provinces  are  of  very  different 
extent,  and  vary  still  more  in  population,  for  some  have 
only  a  few  hundred  inhabitants,  whilst  others,  for  instance, 
Cebu  and  Ilo-Ilo  have  half-a-million. 

Each  province  was  under  a  Governor,  either  civil  or 
military.  Those  provinces  which  were  entirely  pacified 
had  Civil  Governors,  whilst  those  more  liable  to  disturbance 
or  attack  from  independent  tribes  or  from  the  Moors  had 
Military  Governors.  Up  to  1886  the  pacified  provinces 
were  governed  by  Alcaldes-Mayores,  who  were  both 
governors  and  judges.  An  appeal  from  their  decisions 
could  be  made  to  the  Audiencia  or  High  Court  at  Manila. 

From  the  earliest  times  of  their  appointment,  the 
Alcaldes  were  allowed  to  trade.  Some  appointments 
carried  the  right  to  trade,  but  most  of  the  Alcaldes  had 
to  covenant  to  forego  a  large  proportion  of  their  very 
modest  stipends  in  order  to  obtain  this  privilege.  By 
trade  and  by  the  fees  and  squeezes  of  their  law  courts  they 
usually  managed  to  amass  fortunes.  In  1844  the  Alcaldes 
were  finally  prohibited  from  trading. 

This  was  a  rude  system  of  government,  but  it  was  cheap, 
and  a  populous  province  might  only  have  to  maintain  half- 
a-dozen  Spaniards. 

Each  town  has  its  municipality  consisting  of  twelve 
pnncipales,  all  natives,  six  are  chosen  from  those  who  have 
already  been  Gobernadorcillos.  They  are  called  past- 
captains,  and  correspond  to  aldermen  who  have  passed  the 
chair.  The  other  six  are  chosen  from  amongst  the  Baran- 
gay  headmen.  From  these  twelve  are  elected  all  the 
officials,  the  Gobernadorcillo  or  Capitan,  the  ist,  2nd  and 
3rd  lieutenants,  the  alguaciles  (constables),  the  judges  of 
the  fields,  of  cattle,  and  of  police.  The  Capitan  appoints 
and  pays  the  directorcillo  or  town  clerk,  who  attends  to  the 
routine  business. 

For  the  maintenance  of  order,  and  for  protecting  the 
town  against  attack,  there  is  a  body  of  local  police  called 
Cjiadrilleros.      These  are  armed  with  bolos  and  lances  in 


SLIGHT  SKETCH  OF  ORGANIZATION  ir 

the  smaller  and  poorer  towns,  but  in  more  important  places 
they  have  fire-arms  usually  of  obsolete  pattern.  But  in 
towns  exposed  to  Moro  attack  the  cuadrilleros  are  more 
numerous,  and  carry  Remington  rifles. 

The  Gobernadorcillos  of  towns  were  directly  responsible 
to  the  governor  of  the  province,  the  governor  in  case  of 
emergency  reported  direct  to  the  Governor-General,  but 
for  routine  business  through  the  Director-General  of  Civil 
Administration,  which  embraced  the  departments  of  Public 
Works,  Inspection  of  Mines  and  Forests,  Public  Instruction, 
Model  Farms,  etc. 

The  collection  of  taxes  was  under  the  governors  of 
provinces  assisted  by  delegates  of  the  Intendant-General. 
It  was  directly  effected  by  the  Barangay  headman  each  of 
whom  was  supposed  to  answer  for  fifty  families,  the  in- 
dividuals of  which  were  spoken  of  as  his  sdcopes.  His 
eldest  son  was  recognised  as  his  chief  assistant,  and  he,  like 
his  father,  was  exempt  from  the  tribute  or  capitation  tax. 

The  office  was  hereditary,  and  was  not  usually  desired, 
but  like  the  post  of  sheriff  in  an  English  county  it  had  to 
be  accepted  nolens  volens. 

No  doubt  a  great  deal  of  latitude  was  allowed  to  the 
Barangay  Chiefs  in  order  that  they  might  collect  the  tax, 
and  the  stick  was  often  in  requisition.  In  fact  the  chiefs 
had  to  pay  the  tax  somehow,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that 
they  took  steps  to  oblige  their  sdcopes  to  pay. 

I,  however,  in  my  fourteen  years'  experience,  never  came 
across  such  a  case  as  that  mentioned  by  Worcester,  p.  295, 
where  he  states  that  in  consequence  of  a  deficiency  of 
$7000,  forty-four  headmen  of  Siquijor  were  seized  and 
exiled,  their  lands,  houses  and  cattle  confiscated,  and  those 
dependent  on  them  left  to  shift  for  themselves.  The 
amount  owing  by  each  headman  was  under  $160  Mexican, 
equal  to  $80  gold,  and  it  would  not  take  much  in  the 
way  of  lands,  houses,  and  cattle  to  pay  off  this  sum.  How- 
ever, it  is  true  that  Siquijor  is  a  poor  island.  But  on 
page  284  he  maintains  that  the  inhabitants  of  Siquijor  had 
plenty  of  money  to  back  their  fighting-cocks,  and  paid  but 
little  attention  to  the  rule  limiting  each  man's  bet  on  one 
fight  to  $50.  From  this  we  may  infer  that  they  could  find 
money  to  bet  with,  but  not  to  pay  their  taxes. 


12        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Collection  of  Taxes. 

Natives  of  the  gorgeous  East  very  commonly  require  a 
little  persuasion  to  make  them  pay  their  taxes,  and  I  have 
read  of  American  millionaires  who,  in  the  absence  of  this 
system,  could  not  be  got  to  pay  at  all.  Not  many  years 
ago,  there  was  an  enquiry  as  to  certain  practices  resorted  to 
by  native  tax-collectors  in  British  India  to  induce  the  poor 
Indian  to  pay  up  ;  anybody  who  is  curious  to  know  the 
particulars  can  hunt  them  up  in  the  Blue  Books — they  are 
unsuitable  for  publication. 

In  Egypt,  up  to  1887,  or  thereabouts,  the  "courbash  "  * 
was  in  use  for  this  purpose.  I  quote  from  a  speech  by 
Lord  Cromer  delivered  about  that  time  ('  Lord  Cromer,'  by 
H.  D.  Traill)  :  "  The  courbash  used  to  be  very  frequently 
employed  for  two  main  objects,  viz.  :  the  collection  of 
taxes,  and  the  extortion  of  evidence.  I  think  I  may 
say  with  confidence  that  the  use  of  the  courbash  as  a 
general  practice  in  connection  either  with  collection  of  taxes 
or  the  extortion  of  evidence  has  ceased." 

But  we  need  not  go  so  far  East  for  examples  of  collect- 
ing taxes  by  means  of  the  stick.  The  headmen  of  the 
village  communities  in  Russia  freely  apply  the  lash  to 
recalcitrant  defaulters. 

It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  the  Spaniards  erred  in 
company  with  many  other  nations.  It  was  by  no  means 
an  invention  of  theirs,  and  it  will  be  remembered  that  some 
of  our  early  kings  used  to  persuade  the  Jqws  to  pay  up  by 
drawing  their  teeth. 

Its  Good  Points. 

The  Government  and  the  laws  partook  of  a  patriarchal 
character,  and  notwithstanding  certain  exactions,  the 
Spanish  officials  and  the  natives  got  on  very  well  together. 
The  Alcaldes  remained  for  many  years  in  one  province,  and 
knew  all  the  principal  people  intimately.  I  doubt  if  there 
was  any  colony  in  the  world  where  as  much  intercourse 
took  place  between  the  governors  and  the  natives,  certainly 
not  in  any  British  colony,  nor  in  British  India,  where  the 
gulf  ever  widens.  In  this  case,  governors  and  governed 
professed    the    same   religion,    and    no   caste    distinctions 

*  A  whip  made  from  hippopotamus  hide. 


\ 


ITS  GOOD  POINTS  13 

prevailed  to  raise  a  barrier  between  them.  They  could 
worship  together,  they  could  eat  together,  and  marriages 
between  Spaniards  and  the  daughters  of  the  native  land- 
owners were  not  unfrequent.  These  must  be  considered 
good  points,  and  although  the  general  corruption  and 
ineptitude  of  the  administration  was  undeniable,  yet,  bad 
as  it  was,  it  must  be  admitted  that  it  was  immeasurably 
superior  to  any  government  that  any  Malay  community  had 
ever  established. 


14        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  III. 

SIX  GOVERNORS-GENERAL. 

Moriones — Primo  de  Rivera — Jovellar — Terreros — Weyler — 
Despujols. 

Moriones. 

During  my  residence  in  the  Islands — from  1877  to  1892 — 
there  were  six  Governors-General,  and  they  differed  very 
widely  in  character  and  ideas. 

The  first  was  Don  Domingo  Moriones  y  Murillo, 
Marquis  of  Oroquieto,  an  austere  soldier,  and  a  stern 
disciplinarian.  He  showed  himself  to  be  a  man  of  un- 
daunted courage,  and  of  absolutely  incorruptible  honesty. 

When  he  landed  in  Manila  he  found  that,  owing  to  the 
weakness  of  Admiral  Malcampo,  his  predecessor,  the 
Peninsular  Regiment  of  Artillery  had  been  in  open  mutiny, 
and  that  the  matter  had  been  hushed  up.  After  taking 
the  oath  of  office,  and  attending  a  Te  Deum  at  the 
Cathedral,  he  mounted  his  horse,  and,  attended  by  his 
aides-de-camp,  rode  to  the  barracks,  and  ordered  the 
regiment  to  parade  under  arms.  He  rode  down  the  ranks, 
and  recognised  many  soldiers  who  had  served  under  him 
in  the  Carlist  wars. 

He  then  stationed  himself  in  front  of  the  regiment,  and 
delivered  a  remarkable  and  most  stirring  oration.  He  said 
that  it  grieved  him  to  the  heart  to  think  that  Spanish 
soldiers,  sent  to  the  Philippines  to  maintain  the  authority 
of  their  king  and  country,  many  of  whom  had  with  him 
faced  the  awful  fusillade  of  Somorrostro,  and  had  bravely 
done  their  duty,  could  fall  so  low  as  to  become  callous 
mutineers,  deaf  to  the  calls  of  duty,  and  by  their  bad 
conduct  tarnish  the  glory  of  the  Spanish  Army  in  the  eyes 
of  all  the  world.  Such  as  they  deserved  no  mercy  ;  their 
lives  were  all  forfeited.     Still  he  was  willing  to  believe  that 


SIX  GOVERNORS-GENERAL— MORIONES  15 

they  were  not  entirely  vicious,  that  repentance  and  reform 
were  still  possible  to  the  great  majority.  He  would,  there- 
fore, spare  the  lives  of  most  of  them  in  the  hope  that  they 
might  once  more  become  worthy  soldiers  of  Spain.  But 
he  would  decimate  them  ;  every  tenth  man  must  die. 

He  then  directed  the  lieutenant-colonel  in  command  to 
number  off  the  regiment  by  tens  from  the  right. 

Let  the  reader  ponder  upon  the  situation.  Here  was  a 
mutinous  veteran  regiment  that  for  months  had  been  the 
terror  of  the  city,  and  had  frightened  the  Governor-General 
and  all  the  authorities  into  condoning  its  crimes. 

In  front  of  it  sat  upon  his  horse  one  withered  old  man. 
But  that  man's  record  was  such  that  he  seemed  to  those 
reckless  mutineers  to  be  transfigured  into  some  awful 
avenging  angel.  His  modest  stature  grew  to  a  gigantic 
size  in  their  eyes  ;  the  whole  regiment  seemed  hypnotized. 
They  commenced  numbering.  It  was  an  impressive  scene 
— the  word  ten  meant  death.  The  men  on  the  extreme 
right  felt  happy  ;  they  were  sure  to  escape.  Confidently 
rang  out  their  voices :  one,  two,  three,  four,  five,  six,  seven, 
eight,  nine — then  a  stop.  The  doomed  wretch  standing 
next  would  not  say  the  fatal  word.  Moriones  turned  his 
glance  upon  the  captain  of  the  right  company,  and  that 
officer  perceived  that  the  crisis  of  his  life  had  arrived,  and 
that  the  next  few  seconds  would  make  or  mar  him  ;  one 
instant's  hesitation  would  cost  him  his  commission.  Drawing 
and  cocking  his  revolver,  he  held  it  in  front  of  the  forehead 
of  the  tenth  man,  and  ordered  him  to  call  out  ten.  Placed 
thus  between  the  alternative  of  instant  death  or  obedience, 
the  unhappy  gunner  complied,  and  the  numbering  of  the 
whole  line  was  accomplished.  The  number  tens  were 
ordered  to  step  out  of  the  ranks,  were  disarmed,  placed 
under  arrest,  and  notified  that  they  would  be  shot  next 
morning.  As  regards  the  others,  all  leave  was  stopped, 
and  extra  drills  ordered.  Great  interest  was  exerted  with 
Moriones  to  pardon  the  condemned  men,  and  he  did  com- 
mute the  death  sentence  on  most  of  them,  but  the  ring- 
leaders were  shot  the  following  morning,  others  imprisoned, 
and  fifty  were  sent  back  to  Spain  in  the  same  vessel  as 
Admiral  Malcampo,  whose  pampering  of  them  had  ruined 
their  discipline.  So  much  for  the  courage  of  Moriones.  It 
was  a  wonderful  example  of  the  prestige  of  lawful  authority, 
but  of  course  the  risk  was  great. 

To  him  was  due  the  construction  of  the  Manila  Water- 


i6        THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

works.  A  sum  of  money  had  been  left  a  century  before 
by  Don  Francisco  Carriedo,  who  had  been  general  of  a 
galleon,  to  accumulate  until  it  was  sufficient  to  pay  for 
the  waterworks,  which  ought  to  have  been  begun  years 
before.  However,  the  parties  who  held  these  funds,  like 
certain  Commissioners  we  know  of  at  home,  had  little 
desire  to  part  with  the  capital,  and  it  was  only  the  deter- 
mination of  General  Moriones  that  triumphed  over  their 
reluctance. 

Manila  ought  to  be  ever  grateful  to  Moriones  for  this. 
He  also  tried  to  get  some  work  out  of  the  Obras  Publicas 
Department,  and,  in  fact,  he  did  frighten  them  into  exerting 
themselves  for  a  time,  by  threatening  to  ship  the  Inspector- 
General  of  Public  Works  back  to  Spain,  unless  the  Ayala 
bridges  were  completed  on  a  certain  day. 

But  the  greatest  thing  that  Moriones  did  for  the  Philip- 
pines was  when  he  prevented  the  sale  of  the  Government 
tobacco-culture  monopoly  to  some  Paris  Jews.  Whilst  he 
was  staying  at  the  Convent  of  Guadalupe  he  received  a 
letter  from  Canovas,  at  the  time  Prime  Minister  of  Spain. 
It  informed  him  that  a  project  was  entertained  of  selling 
the  Crown  monopoly  of  the  cultivation  and  manufacture  of 
tobacco  in  the  Philippines  to  a  Franco-Spanish  syndicate, 
and  added,  "  The  palace  is  very  interested,"  meaning  that 
the  King  and  the  Infantas  were  in  the  affair.  It  announced 
that  a  Commission  was  about  to  be  sent  by  the  capitalists 
to  enquire  into  the  business,  and  wound  up  by  requesting 
Moriones  to  report  favourably  on  the  affair,  for  which 
service  he  might  ask  any  reward  he  liked.  The  carrying 
out  of  this  project  meant  selling  the  inhabitants  of  Cagayan 
into  slavery. 

I  had  this  information  from  a  gentleman  of  unblemished 
truth  and  honour,  who  was  present  at  the  receipt  of  the 
letter,  and  it  was  confirmed  by  two  friars  of  the  Augustinian 
Order  under  circumstances  that  left  no  doubt  upon  my 
mind  as  to  their  accuracy. 

Although  Canovas  was  at  the  time  in  the  height  of  his 
power,  and  although  the  King  was  interested  in  the  matter 
going  through,  Moriones  indignantly  refused  to  back  up  the 
proposal.  He  wrote  or  cabled  to  Canovas  not  to  send  out 
the  Commission,  for  if  it  came  he  would  send  it  back  by 
the  same  vessel.  He  reported  dead  against  the  concession, 
and  told  the  Prime  Minister  that  he  was  quite  prepared  to 
resign,  and  return  to  Spain,  to  explain  his  reasons  from  his 


SIX  GOVERNORS-GENERAL— PRhMO  DE  RIVERA     17 

seat  in  the  Senate.  What  a  contrast  this  brave  soldier 
made  to  the  general  run  of  men  ;  how  few  in  any  country 
would  have  behaved  as  he  did  ! 

This  was  not  the  only  benefit  Moriones  conferred  upon 
the  tobacco  cultivators  of  Cagayan,  for  he  did  what  he 
could  to  pay  off  the  debt  owing  to  them  by  the  Treasury. 


Primo  de  Rivera. 

The  next  Governor-General  was  Don  Fernando  Primo 
de  Rivera,  Marquis  of  Estella,  and  he  was  the  only  one 
with  whom  I  was  not  personally  acquainted.  During  the 
cholera  epidemic  of  1882,  when  30,000  persons  died  in  the 
city  and  province  of  Manila,  he  showed  ability  and  firmness 
in  the  arrangements  he  made,  and  he  deserves  great  credit 
for  this.  But  corruption  and  embezzlement  was  rampant 
during  his  time.  Gambling  was  tolerated  in  Manila  and 
it  was  currently  reported  that  twenty-five  gambling  houses 
were  licensed  and  that  each  paid  $50  per  day,  which  was 
supposed  to  go  to  the  Governor-General.  Emissaries  from 
these  houses  were  stationed  near  the  banks  and  mercantile 
offices,  and  whenever  a  collector  was  seen  entering  or 
leaving  carrying  a  bag  of  dollars,  an  endeavour  was  made 
to  entice  him  to  the  gambling  table,  and  owing  to  the 
curious  inability  of  the  native  to  resist  temptation,  these 
overtures  were  too  frequently  successful. 

The  whole  city  became  demoralised,  servants  and 
dependants  stole  from  their  employers  and  sold  the  articles 
to  receivers  for  a  tenth  of  their  value  in  order  to  try  their 
luck  at  the  gaming  table.  A  sum  of  $1250  per  day  was 
derived  from  the  gambling-houses  and  was  collected  every 
evening. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  abuses,  Primo  de  Rivera 
maintained  good  relations  with  the  natives  ;  he  was  not  un- 
popular, and  no  disturbances  occurred  during  his  first  govern- 
ment. He  owed  his  appointment  to  King  Alfonso  XII., 
being  granted  three  years'  pillage  of  the  Philippine  Islands 
as  a  reward  for  having  made  \\vq.  pronunciamctito  in  favour 
of  that  monarch,  which  greatly  contributed  to  putting 
him  upon  the  throne.  He  and  his  friends  must  have 
amassed  an  enormous  sum  of  money,  for  scarcely  a  cent 
was  expended  on  roads  or  bridges  during  his  government, 
the  provincial  governors  simply  pocketed  every  dollar. 

C 


/v-^ 


1 8        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Jovellar. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Field-Marshal  Don  Joaquim 
Jovellar,  during-  whose  time  the  tribute  was  abolished  and 
the  Cedulas  Personales  tax  instituted.  Jovellar  appeared 
to  me  to  be  a  strictly  honourable  man,  he  refused  the 
customary  presents  from  the  Chinese,  and  bore  himself 
with  much  dignity.  His  entourage  was,  however,  deplor- 
able, and  he  placed  too  much  confidence  in  Ruiz  Martinez, 
the  Director  of  Civil  Administration.  The  result  was  that 
things  soon  became  as  bad  as  in  the  previous  governor's 
time.  Jovellar  was  well  advanced  in  years,  being  nearly 
seventy.  He  had  many  family  troubles,  and  the  climate 
did  not  agree  with  him. 

I  remember  one  stifling  night,  when  I  was  present  at 
Malacaiian  at  a  ball  and  water  fete,  given  to  Prince  Oscar, 
a  son  of  the  King  of  Sweden.  The  Governor-General  had 
hardly  recovered  from  an  illness,  and  had  that  day  received 
most  distressing  news  about  two  of  his  sons,  and  his 
daughter  Doiia  Rosita,  who  was  married  to  Colonel 
Arsenio  Linares,  was  laid  up  and  in  danger  of  losing  her 
sight. 

Yet  in  that  oppressive  heat,  and  buttoned  up  in  the 
full  dress  uniform  of  a  field-marshal,  Jovellar  went  round 
the  rooms  and  found  a  kind  word  or  compliment  for  every 
lady  present.  I  ventured  to  remark  how  fatigued  he  must 
be,  to  which  he  replied,  "  Yes,  but  make  no  mistake,  a 
public  man  is  like  a  public  woman,  and  must  smile  on 
everybody." 

During  his  time,  owing  to  symptoms  of  unrest  amongst 
the  natives,  the  garrison  of  Manila  and  Cavite  was  rein- 
forced by  two  battalions  of  marines. 

Tc7-rcro. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Don  Emilio  Terrero  y  Perinat,  a 
thorough  soldier  and  a  great  martinet.  I  found  him  a  kind 
and  courteous  gentleman,  and  deeply  regretted  the  un- 
fortunate and  tragic  end  that  befel  him  after  his  return  to 
Spain.  I  saw  a  good  deal  of  Field-Marshal  Jovellar  and 
of  General  Terrero,  having  been  Acting  British  Consul  at 
the  end  of  Jovellar's  and  the  beginning  of  Terrero's  Govern- 
ment    I  kept  up  my  acquaintance  with  General  Terrero 


SIX  GOVERNORS-GENERAL— WEYLER  19 

all  the  time  he  was  in  the  islands,  and  was  favoured  with 
frequent  invitations  to  his  table,  where  I  met  all  the  principal 
officials. 

Things  went  on  quietly  in  his  time  and  there  was 
little  to  record  except  successful  expeditions  to  J0I6  and 
Mindanao,  causing  an  extension  of  Spanish  influence  in 
both  places. 

Wejler. 

Terrero  was  succeeded  by  Don  Valeriano  Weyler, 
Marquis  of  Tenerifc,  the  son  of  a  German  doctor,  born  in 
Majorca,  who  brought  with  him  a  reputation  for  cruelties 
practised  on  the  Cuban  insurgents  during  the  first  war. 

Weyler  was  said  to  have  purchased  the  appointment 
from  the  wife  of  a  great  minister  too  honest  to  accept 
bribes  himself,  and  the  price  was  commonly  reported  to 
have  been  ,330,000  paid  down  and  an  undertaking  to  pay 
the  lady  an  equal  sum  every  year  of  his  term  of  office. 

Weyler  is  a  small  man  who  does  not  look  like  a  soldier. 
He  is  clever,  but  it  is  more  the  cleverness  of  a  sharp 
attorney  than  of  a  general  or  statesman. 

Curiously  enough  the  Segundo  Cabo  at  this  time  was 
an  absolute  contrast.  Don  Manuel  Giron  y  Aragon, 
Marquis  of  Ahumada,  is  descended  from  the  Kings  of 
Aragon,  and  to  that  illustrious  lineage  he  unites  a  noble 
presence  and  a  charm  of  manner  that  render  him  instantly 
popular  with  all  who  have  the  good  fortune  to  meet  him. 
No  more  dignified  representative  of  his  country  could  be 
found,  and  I  send  him  my  cordial  salutation  wherever  he 
is  serving. 

During  Weyler's  term  another  expedition  to  Mindanao 
was  made  and  some  advantages  secured.  Some  dis- 
turbances occurred  which  will  be  mentioned  in  another 
chapter,  and  secret  societies  were  instituted  amongst  the 
natives.  Otherwise  the  usual  bribery  and  corruption  con- 
tinued unchecked. 

There  was  a  great  increase  in  the  smuggling  of  Mexican 
dollars  from  Hong  Kong  into  Manila,  where  they  were 
worth  10  per  cent.  more.  The  freight  and  charges  amounted 
to  2  per  cent,  leaving  8  per  cent,  profit,  and  according  to 
rumour  4  per  cent,  was  paid  to  the  authorities  to  insure 
against  seizure,  as  the  importation  was  prohibited  under 
heavy  penalties. 

C  2 


20        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

At  this  time  I  was  Government  Surveyor  of  Shipping, 
and  one  day  received  an  order  from  the  captain  of  the 
port  to  proceed  on  board  the  steamer  Espana  with  the 
colonel  of  carbineers  and  point  out  to  him  all  hollow  places 
in  the  ship's  construction  where  anything  could  be  con- 
cealed. This  I  did,  but  remembering  Talleyrand's  injunc- 
tion, and  not  liking  the  duty,  showed  no  zeal,  but  contented 
myself  with  obeying  orders.  The  carbineers  having  searched 
every  part  of  the  ship  below,  we  came  on  deck  where  the 
captain's  cabin  was.  A  corporal  entered  the  cabin  and 
pulled  open  one  of  the  large  drawers.  I  only  took  one 
glimpse  at  it  and  looked  away.  It  was  chock  full  of  small 
canvas  bags,  and  no  doubt  the  other  drawers  and  lockers 
were  also  full.  Yet  it  did  not  seem  to  occur  to  any  of  the 
searchers  that  there  might  be  dollars  in  the  bags,  and  it 
was  no  business  of  mine.  Nothing  contraband  had  been 
found  in  the  ship,  and  a  report  to  that  effect  was  sent  in. 
I  sent  the  colonel  an  account  for  my  fee,  which  was  duly 
paid  from  the  funds  of  the  corps. 

Weyler  returned  to  Spain  with  a  large  sum  of  money, 
a  far  larger  sum  than  the  whole  of  his  emoluments.  He 
had  remitted  large  sums  in  bills,  and  having  fallen  out  with 
one  of  his  confederates  who  had  handled  some  of  the 
money,  this  man  exhibited  the  seconds  of  exchange  to 
certain  parties  inimical  to  Weyler,  with  the  result  that  the 
latter  was  openly  denounced  as  a  thief  in  capital  letters  in 
a  leading  article  of  the  Correspo7idencia  Militar  of  Madrid. 
Weyler's  attorneys  threatened  to  prosecute  for  libel,  but 
the  editor  defied  them  and  declared  that  ho  held  the 
documents  and  was  prepared  to  prove  his  statement.  The 
matter  was  allowed  to  drop.  Weyler  was  thought  to  have 
received  large  sums  of  money  from  the  Augustinians  and 
Dominicans  for  his  armed  support  against  their  tenants. 
It  was  said  that  the  Chinese  furnished  him  with  a  first- 
rate  cook,  and  provided  food  for  his  whole  household  gratis, 
besides  making  presents  of  diamonds  to  his  wife.  And  for 
holding  back  certain  laws  which  would  have  pressed  very 
hardly  upon  them,  it  was  asserted  that  the  Celestials  paid 
him  no  less  than  $80,000.  This  is  the  man  who  afterwards 
carried  out  the  rcconcentrado  policy  in  Cuba  at  the  cost  of 
thousands  of  lives,  and  subsequently  returning  with  a 
colossal  fortune  to  Spain,  posed  as  a  patriot  and  as  chief 
of  the  military  party. 


S/X  GO  VERNORS- GENERA L—DESP UJOLS 


Desp7ijols. 

To  Weyler  succeeded  a  man  very  dift'erent  in  appear- 
ance and  character,  Don  Emilio  Despujols,  Coude  de 
Caspe. 

Belonging  to  an  ancient  and  noble  family  of  Catalonia, 
holding  his  honour  dear,  endowed  with  a  noble  presence 
and  possessed  of  an  ample  fortune,  he  came  out  to  uplift 
and  uphold  the  great  charge  committed  to  him,  and  rather 
to  give  lustre  to  his  office  by  expending  his  own  means 
than  to  economise  from  his  pay,  as  so  many  colonial 
governors  are  accustomed  to  do.  He  established  his  house- 
hold upon  a  splendid  scale,  and  seconded  by  his  distinguished 
countess,  whose  goodness  and  munificent  charities  will  ever 
be  remembered,  he  entertained  on  a  scale  worthy  of  a 
viceroy  and  in  a  manner  never  before  seen  in  Manila. 

Despujols  rendered  justice  to  all.  Several  Spaniards 
whose  lives  were  an  open  scandal,  were  by  his  order  put 
on  board  ship  and  sent  back  to  Spain.  Amongst  these 
was  one  who  bore  the  title  of  count,  but  who  lived  by 
gambling. 

Another  was  a  doctor  who  openly  plundered  the 
natives.  Like  a  Mahometan  Sultan  of  the  old  times, 
Despujols  was  accessible  to  the  poorest  who  had  a  tale  of 
injustice  and  oppression  to  relate. 

The  news  that  a  native  could  obtain  justice  from  a 
governor-general  flew  with  incredible  rapidity.  At  last  a 
new  era  seemed  to  be  opening.  A  trifling  event  aroused 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  people.  Despujols  and  his  countess 
drove  to  the  Manila  races  with  their  postillions  dressed  in 
shirts  of  Jusi  and  wearing  silver-mounted  salacots  instead 
of  their  usual  livery.  I  was  present  on  this  occasion  and 
was  struck  with  the  unwonted  warmth  of  the  governor- 
general's  reception  from  the  usually  phlegmatic  natives. 
Despujols  became  popular  to  an  extent  never  before 
reached.  He  could  do  anything  with  the  natives.  When- 
ever his  splendid  equipages  appeared  in  public  he  received 
an  ovation.  Quite  a  different  spirit  now  seemed  to  possess 
the  natives.  But  not  all  the  Spaniards  viewed  this  with 
satisfaction  ;  many  whose  career  of  corruption  had  been 
checked,  who  found  their  illicit  gains  decreased,  and  the 
victims  of  their  extortion  beginning  to  resist  them,  bitterly 
criticised  the  new  governor-general. 


THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


The  religious  orders  finding  Despujols  incorruptible  and 
indisposed  to  place  military  forces  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Augustinians  and  Dominicans  to  coerce  or  evict  refractory 
tenants,  then  took  action.  Their  procurators  in  Madrid 
made  a  combined  attack  on  Despujols,  both  in  the  reptile 
press  and  by  representations  to  the  ministry.  They 
succeeded,  and  Despujols  was  dismissed  from  office  by 
cable.  Rumour  has  it  that  the  Orders  paid  $100,000  for 
Despujols's  recall.  For  my  own  part  I  think  this  very 
likely,  and  few  who  know  Madrid  will  suppose  that  this 
decree  could  be  obtained  by  any  other  means. 

He  laboured  under  a  disadvantage,  for  he  did  not  pay 
for  his  appointment  as  some  others  did.  If  he  had  been 
paying  |l30,ooo  a  year  to  the  wife  of  a  powerful  minister, 
he  would  not  have  been  easily  recalled.  Or  if,  like  another 
governor-general,  he  had  been  in  debt  up  to  the  eyes  to 
influential  creditors,  these  would  have  kept  him  in  power 
till  he  had  amassed  enough  to  pay  them  off. 

I  am  of  opinion  that  had  Despujols  been  retained  in 
Manila,  and  had  he  been  given  time  to  reform  and  purify 
the  administration,  the  chain  of  events  which  has  now  torn 
the  Philippines  for  ever  from  the  grasp  of  Spain  would 
never  have  been  welded.  Whoever  received  the  priests' 
money,  whoever  they  were  who  divided  that  Judas-bribe, 
they  deserve  to  be  held  in  perpetual  execration  by  their 
fellow-countrymen,  and  to  have  their  names  handed  down 
to  everlasting  infamy. 

Despujols  left  Manila  under  a  manifestation  of  respect 
and  devotion  from  the  foreign  residents,  from  the  best 
Spaniards  and  from  every  class  of  the  natives  of  the 
Philippines,  that  might  well  go  far  to  console  him  for  his 
unmerited  dismissal.  He  must  have  bitterly  felt  the  in- 
justice with  which  he  was  treated,  but  still  he  left  carrying 
with  him  a  clear  conscience  and  a  harvest  of  love  and 
admiration  that  no  previous  governor-general  had  ever 
inspired. 

For  if  Moriones  manifested  courage,  energy  and  in- 
corruptible honesty  under  what  would  have  been  an 
irresistible  temptation  to  many  another  man,  that  rude 
soldier  was  far  from  possessing  those  personal  gifts,  the 
fine  presence  and  the  sympathetic  address  of  Despujols, 
and  inspired  fear  rather  than  affection. 

Yet  both  were  worthy  representatives  of  their  country  ; 
both  were  men  any  land   might  be  proud  to  send  forth. 


S/X  GOVERNORS-GENERAL— DESPUJOLS  23 

Those  two  noble  names  are  sufficient  to  redeem  the  Spanish 
Government  of  the  Philippines  from  the  accusation  of  being 
entirely  corrupt,  too  frequently  made  against  it.  They 
deserve  an  abler  pen  than  mine  to  extol  their  merits  and 
to  exalt  them  as  they  deserve  above  the  swarm  of  pilferers, 
and  sham  patriots,  who  preceded  and  succeeded  them.  To 
use  an  Eastern  image,  they  may  be  compared  to  two  noble 
trees  towering  above  the  rank  vegetation  of  .some  poisonous 
swamp.  For  the  honour  of  Spain  and  of  human  nature 
in  general,  I  have  always  felt  grateful  that  I  could  say  that 
amongst  the  governors-general  of  the  Philippines  whom  I 
had  known  there  were  at  least  two  entitled  to  the  respect 
of  every  honest  man. 


THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   IV. 

COURTS   OF  JUSTICE. 

Alcaldes — The  Audiencia — The  Guardia  Civil — Do  not  hesitate  to 
shoot — Talas. 

The  foulest  blot  upon  the  Spanish  Administration  in  all  her 
former  colonies  was  undoubtedly  the  thorough  venality  of 
her  infamous  Courts  of  Justice.  Unfortunately,  amongst  the 
heterogeneous  population  of  the  Philippines,  a  low  standard 
of  morality  prevails  and  has  prevailed  from  the  earliest 
times.  The  natives  at  the  time  of  the  conquest  were  partly 
civilised,  so  far  as  building  houses  and  cultivating  their 
lands  by  slave  labour  is  concerned.  But  notwithstanding  the 
assertions  of  the  Filipinos,  the  late  Dr.  Rizal  and  others, 
a  study  of  the  ancient  authors  demonstrates  that  they  were 
sunk  in  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  that  their  customs 
were  those  of  semi-savages.  When  they  came  under  the  rule 
of  the  Spaniards,  they  might  have  made  great  advances  if 
the  administration  of  the  laws  had  been  confided  to  persons 
of  honour  capable  of  interpreting  that  wise  code,  the  "  Laws 
of  the  Indies,"  in  the  noble  and  Christian  spirit  which  had 
inspired  their  makers 

But  what  class  of  man  was  it  that  the  Spaniards 
appointed  to  this  office  .'' 

Thomas  de  Comyn,  p.  134,  says:  "It  is  quite  common 
to  see  a  barber  or  footman  of  a  governor,  a  sailor  or  a 
deserter,  transformed  into  an  Alcalde-Mayor,  Sub-delegate, 
and  War  Captain  of  a  populous  province,  without  other 
counsel  than  his  own  rude  intelligence  (understanding)  nor 
other  guide  than  his  passions." 

W^hat  could  be  expected  from  such  men  as  these,  living 
in  such  an  atmosphere .-'  And  if  some  solitary  alcalde 
might  cherish  in  his  heart  some  spark  of  honour,  some 
lingering   love   of   justice,    there   were    two    elements    in 


COURTS  OF  JUSTICE  25 

the  country  to  extinguish  that  spark,  to  smother  that 
feeling. 

Woe  betide  the  alcalde  who  would  decide  a  case,  what- 
ever its  merits,  adversely  to  any  one  of  the  religious  orders. 
I  personally  knew  an  alcalde  who  (at  a  great  price)  had 
obtained  the  government  of  the  province  of  Batangas,  from 
whence  his  immediate  predecessor,  also  well-known  to  me, 
had  retired  with  a  large  fortune,  but  leaving  everybody 
contented  so  far  as  could  be  seen.  He  had  kept  on  good 
terms  with  the  priests.  His  successor  unfortunately  forgot 
this  cardinal  rule  and  allowed  himself  to  be  identified  with 
some  anti-clerical  Spaniards. 

Every  kind  of  trouble  fell  upon  that  man,  and  finally  he 
was  recalled  to  Manila  and  received  a  severe  reprimand 
from  General  Primo  de  Rivera,  who  was  said  to  have 
received  $12,000  for  turning  him  out. 

He  was  removed  from  wealthy  Batangas  and  sent  to  the 
fever-stricken  capital  of  Tayabas,  a  wretchedly  poor  Govern- 
ment, affording  few  opportunities  for  peculation.  He  escaped 
with  his  life,  but  his  wife,  a  very  charming  Spanish  lady, 
succumbed  to  the  malaria.  Similar  instances  of  the  results 
of  being,  or  being  thought  to  be,  an  anti-clerical,  will  occur 
to  old  residents  in  the  Philippines.  The  arm  of  the  Church 
was  long  and  its  hand  was  a  heavy  one. 

The  second  influence  I  referred  to  is  the  presence  of  the 
heathen  Chinee  in  the  islands.  To  a  Chinaman  the  idea 
that  a  judge  should  take  bribes  seems  as  natural  a  thing  as 
that  a  duck  should  take  to  the  water.  And  yet  the  China- 
man will  not,  unless  he  knows  he  is  on  the  right  track, 
brutally  push  his  bribe  under  the  judge's  nose.  Either  he 
or  one  of  his  countrymen  will  from  the  judge's  arrival  have 
rendered  him  good  service.  Does  the  judge  want  a  gardener 
or  cook  ?  Ah- sin  soon  provides  an  excellent  one  who  never 
asks  for  his  wages.  Have  some  visitors  arrived  at  the 
Alcadia }  Ah-sin  sends  in  a  dozen  chickens,  a  turkey,  and 
the  best  fruits.  Is  it  the  judge's  name-day  ^  The  wily 
Celestial  presents  a  few  cases  of  wine  and  boxes  of  fine 
cigars.  Is  the  roof  of  the  Alcaldia  leaking — a  couple  of 
Chinese  carpenters  will  set  it  right  without  sending  a  bill 
for  it.  Then,  having  prepared  the  way,  should  Ah-sin  be 
summoned  before  the  alcalde,  he  may  confidently  hope  that 
his  patron  will  not  hurriedly  give  judgment  against  him, 
and  that  he  will  probably  get  a  full  opportunity  to  present 
substantial  reasons  why  the  suit  should  be  decided  in  his 


26        THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

favour.  In  fact,  the  practice  of  the  alcalde's  courts  was 
only  a  shade  better  than  that  of  the  Chinese  Yamens, 
where  the  different  cases  are  put  up  to  auction  amongst 
the  magistrates  and  knocked  down  to  the  highest  bidders, 
who  then  proceed  on  a  course  of  extortion,  by  arrest  and 
by  the  torture  of  witnesses,  to  make  ail  they  can  out  of 
them. 

In  an  alcalde's  court,  there  would  be  several  mestizo 
or  native  writers  or  auxiliaries.  Some  of  them  were  what 
is  called  uieritorios,  that  is,  unpaid  volunteers.  Of  course, 
they  expect  to  receive  gratuities  from  the  suitors  and  would 
take  care  to  mislay  their  documents  if  they  were  neglected. 
Sometimes  the  alcalde  was  so  lazy  that  he  left  the  whole 
matter  in  the  hands  of  his  subordinates  and  signed  what- 
ever they  laid  before  him.  I  have  been  a  witness  of  this, 
and  have  even  remonstrated  with  a  judge  for  so  doing. 
He,  however,  said  he  had  the  greatest  confidence  in  his 
subordinates  and  that  they  dare  not  deceive  him. 

Bad  as  the  alcalde's  courts  were,  I  think  that  the  cul- 
minating point  of  corruption  was  the  Audiencia  of  Manila. 
Escribano,  abogado,  jiiez,  auditor,  fiscal,  vied  with  each 
other  in  showing  that  to  them,  honour  and  dignity  were 
mere  empty  words.  They  set  the  vilest  examples  to  the 
mestizos  and  natives,  and,  unfortunately,  these  have  been 
only  too  apt  pupils,  and  having  little  to  lose,  were  often 
ready  to  go  one  better  than  the  Spaniards,  who  after  all 
had  to  keep  up  appearances.  I  cannot  adequately  express 
the  loathing  I  feel  for  all  this  tribe.  I  look  upon  a  high- 
wayman as  a  gentleman  compared  to  them,  for  he  does  risk 
his  life,  and  you  may  get  a  shot  at  him,  but  these  wretches 
ruin  you  in  perfect  safety. 

They  dress  their  wives,  they  nourish  their  children, 
upon  the  reward  of  roguery,  the  price  of  perjury,  the  fruits 
of  forgery,  the  wages  of  some  wicked  judgment. 

What  can  be  expected  of  the  spawn  of  these  reptiles, 
what  but  by  the  process  of  evolution  to  be  more  envenomed 
than  their  progenitors }  Is  there  not  amongst  all  the 
multitudinous  Philippines  some  desert  island  where  the 
people  trained  in  the  Spanish  courts  and  all  their  breed 
could  be  deported,  where  they  might  set  up  a  court,  and 
bring  actions  against  each  other  and  cheat  and  lie  and  forge 
till  they  die  t 

What  a  Godsend  for  the  Philippines  were  this  possible, 
if  besides  getting  rid  of  the  Spanish  judges,  they  could  now 


COURTS   OF  JUSTICE 


get  rid  of  tlieir  aiders  and  abettors,  their  apt  pupils  and 
would-be  successors. 

Bribery  is  a  fine  art,  and  there  were  those  in  Manila 
who  were  well  versed  in  its  intricacies.  We  heard  one  day 
of  a  decree  by  a  judge  against  the  Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai 
Banking  Corporation.  Club  gossip  asserted  that  the  judge 
who  issued  the  decree  had  lost  some  hundreds  of  dollars  at 
the  gambling  table  of  the  Casino  the  night  before,  and  that 
the  artistic  corrupter  had  called  on  him  in  the  morning  with 
the  means  to  pay  the  debt  of  honour  and  to  try  his  luck 
again.  The  judge  was  known  not  to  have  the  means  of 
paying,  yet  he  paid  and  simultaneously  issued  his  decree. 
Old  Manila  hands  drew  their  inference. 

The  record  of  these  courts  from  the  earliest  times  is  one 
long-continued  infamy.  Thank  God  that  is  over  and  a  new 
chapter  has  begun.  I  rejoice  exceedingly  that  their  sins 
have  at  last  overtaken  them,  and  I  recognise  that,  though 

"  The  mills  of  God  grind  slowly, 
Yet  they  grind  exceeding  small." 

Owing  to  the  demoralisation  of  the  mestizo  and  native 
lawyers  by  these  vile  examples,  it  will  be  very  difficult  to 
break  the  traditions  of  venality  and  to  find  men  worthy  to 
occupy  the  bench. 

These  courts  were  not  only  corrupt,  but  they  were 
inept.  At  a  time  when  brigandage  prevailed  and  many 
notorious  criminals  were  apprehended  almost  red-handed, 
convictions  could  not  be  got,  and  the  bandits  were  liberated 
on  various  pretexts. 

So  great  was  the  scandal  that  Morioncs  issued  a  decree 
that  all  persons  accused  of  gang-robbery  should  be  tried  by 
a  military  tribunal.  And  he  appointed  a  permanent  court- 
martial  for  this  purpose,  to  the  great  disgust  of  all  the 
lawyer  element.  These  courts  were  abolished  some  years 
later  after  his  return  to  Spain  ;  then  the  Guardia  Civil  made 
their  own  arrangements,  and  the  mortality  amongst  bandits 
was  excessive.  When  some  well-known  robber  was  by  any 
chance  taken  alive,  he  always,  so  they  said,  tried  to  escape 
by  running  away  from  his  captors,  and  this  obliged  them  to 
fire  upon  him.  They  never  missed  on  these  occasions,  and 
it  was  thought  that  the  range  never  exceeded  ten  paces 
and  was  often  less. 

However  necessary  this  military  action  may  be,  it  is, 


28        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

undoubtedly  liable  to  abuse,  and  the  power  of  life  and 
death  is  a  great  one  to  put  in  the  hands  of  a  junior  officer 
or  non-commissioned  officer  of  police.  The  Guardia  Civil, 
an  armed  force  with  Spanish  officers  and  native  soldiers, 
was  organised  in  1867,  and  I  must  say  that  I  looked  upon 
it  as  an  excellent  institution,  the  terror  of  evil-doers  and  a 
protection  to  all  law-abiding  people.  My  native  friends, 
however,  are  of  a  different  opinion.  They  accuse  the 
Guardia  Civil,  both  Spaniards  and  natives,  of  behaving  in 
an  arbitrary  and  cruel  manner,  and  with  practising  extortion 
upon  defenceless  natives.  They  are  accused  of  torturing 
witnesses  to  extort  evidence,  and  this  charge  was  no  doubt 
true  in  many  cases, 

On  the  other  hand,  the  bandits  or  tulisanes  were  exter- 
minated by  this  corps  of  picked  men,  and  security  to  life 
and  property  was  assured.  At  the  formation  of  this  corps 
the  officers  and  men  were  very  carefully  selected.  The 
Governor-General  himself  examined  the  records  of  every 
officer,  and  only  Spanish  gentlemen  of  the  highest  character 
were  appointed.  Similarly  the  soldiers  were  natives  who 
had  served  their  time  in  the  army  without  having  a  crime 
noted  against  them.  But  in  later  years  this  precaution  w^as 
relaxed,  and  colonels  of  regiments  were  allowed  to  dump 
their  rubbish  into  this  corps. 

I  knew  of  a  case  where  a  Filipino  with  Irish  blood  in 
him  was  posted  as  a  lieutenant  to  this  corps  and  behaved 
most  abominably.  I  am  glad  to  say,  however,  that  he  was 
sent  out  of  the  islands.  This  was  only  another  instance  of 
the  fact  that  whatever  the  natives  have  to  complain  of  the 
Spaniards,  the  mestizos,  and  their  own  rich  people,  treat 
them  and  have  always  treated  them  far  worse. 

Both  officers  and  men  were  well  paid  and  were  dressed 
in  a  very  smart  and  neat  uniform,  well  suited  to  the  climate, 
which  they  kept  spick  and  span  whatever  sei^vice  they  were 
on.  They  were  armed  with  Remington  rifles  and  bayonets, 
and  in  addition  carried  a  heavy  chopping  knife.  They  were 
posted  at  all  the  chief  towns  of  Luzon  and  in  some  of  the 
Visayas  Islands.  The  greatest  crime  a  native  could  com- 
mit was  to  kill  a  Guardia  Civil,  and  such  a  matter  never 
came  before  a  Civil  Court.  If  the  slayer  by  any  chance 
was  not  killed  on  the  spot,  he  would  probably  be  shot  at 
sight.  If  apprehended,  he  would  be  tried  by  a  court- 
martial  composed  of  officers  of  the  Guardia  Civil,  and, 
needless  to  say,  there  would  be  no  monkeying  with  the 


THE   GUARD  I  A    CIVIL  29 

verdict  nor  with  the  sentence,  which  would  be  promptly 
carried  out. 

Even  to  resist  the  Guardia  Civil  was  so  great  a  crime 
that  the  sentence  of  a  court-martial  in  such  a  case  was 
penal  servitude  for  life  (Cadena  Perpetua). 

How  surprised  a  London  rough  would  be  at  this 
severity  after  being  accustomed  to  expiate  the  most  brutal 
assaults  upon  the  police  by  a  fine  of  a  few  shillings. 

To  sum  up  the  Guardia  Civil,  I  may  say  that  their 
practice  was  comprised  in  five  memorable  words,  addressed  to 
a  similar  corps  by  Mr.  A.  J.  Balfour  in  his  energetic  days,  a 
most  sensible  order,  that  he  may  well  be  proud  of :  "Do 
not  hesitate  to  shoot." 

Amongst  other  duties  of  the  Guardia  Civil  in  bygone 
years  was  the  making  of  periodical  expeditions  against  the 
7'einontados  and  the  hill  tribes,  officially  designated  Talas, 
or  cuttings  down. 

At  certain  favourable  seasons  of  the  year,  especially 
before  harvest  time,  the  Guardias,  accompanied  by  some 
Cuadrilleros,  and  on  important  occasions  by  a  company  of 
native  infantry,  marched  up  into  the  more  accessible  hills. 

The  hill-men  obstructed  the  tracks  in  the  most  difficult 
places  by  cutting  down  trees  and  making  abattis. 

They  also  placed  sharp  bamboo  spikes  carefully  con- 
cealed in  the  earth  or  mud  of  the  footpaths,  and  these,  if 
trodden  on,  inflicted  most  dangerous  wounds  that  were  apt 
to  gangrene.  Sometimes  if  they  had  much  at  stake,  the 
hill-men  or  outlaws  would  venture  an  ambuscade,  and  hurl 
their  javelins  or  send  a  flight  of  arrows  amongst  their 
enemies. 

But  even  the  boldest  races  rarely  came  to  close  quarters, 
for  their  weapons  were  no  match  against  rifles  and  bayonets. 
So,  led  by  their  spies,  the  Spanish  forces  laboured  upwards, 
and  on  arriving  at  the  hamlets  of  the  mountaineers  or 
outlaws  they  burnt  down  the  rude  huts,  reaped  the  crops, 
taking  away  what  they  could  and  burning  the  remainder. 

They  cut  down  every  fruit  tree  and  took  special  care  to 
destroy  every  tobacco  plant.  They  then  retired,  leaving  a 
scene  of  devastation  behind  them. 

If  any  of  the  hill-men  fell  into  their  hands  their  fate 
depended  upon  whether  there  were  any  murders  to  avenge 
or  upon  the  humanity  of  the  officer  in  command.  This 
wanton  destruction  was  committed  chiefly  in  the  interests  of 
the  tobacco  monopoly,  but  also  in  order  to  force  the  hill- 


30       THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

men  to  come  down  and  reside  in  the  towns.  It  had, 
however,  an  entirely  contrary  effect,  for  the  savages  either 
retired  into  more  inaccessible  regions,  or  })erhaps  abandoned 
cultivation  and  lived  a  roving,  marauding  life  like  the 
Itetapanes  and  Catubanganes. 

Since  the  abolition  of  the  tobacco  monopoly  the  Talas 
have  been  less  frequent,  and  there  was  a  feeling  amongst 
the  authorities  that  these  cruel  and  demoralising  expe- 
ditions should  be  discontinued,  unless  in  cases  where  the 
hill-men  had  given  great  provocation. 

The  Spaniards  are,  of  course,  not  the  only  nation  to 
make  these  forays.  In  the  last  campaign  against  the 
Afridis  the  British  troops  were  employed,  under  orders,  to 
blow  up  the  houses,  break  the  mill-stones,  and  cut  down 
the  trees  of  the  enemy,  not  even  sparing  the  shade  trees 
round  a  mosque.  It  was  probably  the  only  way  to  inflict 
punishment  on  the  Afridis. 

The  worst  feature  is  that  in  all  such  cases  a  crop  of 
bitter  hatred  is  sown  in  the  hearts  of  the  sufferers,  which 
matures  later  on,  and  which  is  handed  down  from  one 
generation  to  another. 


(     31     ) 


CHAPTER   V. 

TAGAL  CRIME  AND   SPANISH  JUSTICE. 

The  murder  of  a  Spaniard — Promptitude  of  the  Courts — The  case  of 
Juan  de  la  Cruz — Twelve  years  in  prison  waiting  trial — Piratical 
outrage  in  Luzon — Culprits  never  tried  ;  several  die  in  prison. 

The  penal  code  of  the  Philippines,  which  came  into  force  in 
1884,  declares  it  impossible  to  consider  as  an  aggravation 
of  an  offence  the  circumstance  of  colour  or  race  in  the 
offender,  for  the  criminal  is  to  be  punished  for  his  crime 
and  not  for  the  condition  of  inferiority  to  which  nature  has 
condemned  him. 

It  goes  on  to  say  that  on  the  other  hand  his  condition 
should  not  be  allowed  to  attenuate  the  sentence,  for  that 
would  constitute  an  odious  privilege,  an  unbearable  in- 
equality. 

It  therefore  proudly  proclaims  the  equality  of  all  races 
before  the  law.  These  are  noble  words  ;  we  shall  see  how 
they  work  out  in  practice. 

The  case  of  Juan  de  la  Cruz  shows  us  that  a  criminal 
investigation  can  drag  on  for  twelve  years  without  coming 
on  for  trial  when  the  victims  are  natives  and  of  lowly 
station.  I  could  cite  cases  where  the  victims  were  British 
subjects,  and  the  murderers  were  never  punished,  and 
another  case  where  a  Frenchman  was  the  victim.  The 
murderer  in  this  case  was  to  have  been  pardoned  by  the 
Governor-General,  but  the  French  consul  threatened  to 
haul  down  his  flag  and  leave  the  islands  unless  the  assassin 
was  executed  ;  and  he  was  executed,  the  consul  attending 
to  see  the  sentence  carried  out. 

The  British  Foreign  Office  does  not  encourage  its 
agents  to  such  energetic  acts.  To  obtain  the  good  graces 
of  the  Foreign  Office  a  consul  should  be  devoid  of  talent  or 
originality.  Mediocrity  is  the  condition  sought  for.  It  is 
never  advisable  for  one  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty's  consuls 


33        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

to  be  active  in  protecting  Her  Britannic  Majesty's  subjects. 
What  he  must  aim  at  if  he  wishes  for  consideration  and 
promotion  is  to  give  the  Foreign  Office  no  trouble.  The 
ideal  consul  would  be  he  who  is  only  heard  of  once  a 
quarter,  when  he  certifies  that  he  is  alive,  and  asks  that 
his  salary  may  be  paid. 

I  will  relate  a  murder  that  made  an  impression  on  me 
at  the  time,  where  the  victim  was  a  Spaniard.  In  June  of 
1 88 1,  I  was  at  Santa  Cruz  in  the  Laguna  Province  for 
several  days,  making  experiments  with  some  patent 
centrifugals,  steaming  and  diying  the  fine  Laguna  sugar. 
Quite  close  to  the  camarin,  where  the  machines  were  at 
work,  lived  an  elderly  Spaniard  who  was  a  government 
employe  in  some  subordinate  position.  I  think  he  was 
the  Subdelegado  de  Hacienda,  or  sub-provincial  treasurer. 
I  had  once  or  twice  called  upon  the  old  gentleman,  whose 
appearance  and  manners  were  above  his  official  rank,  and 
had  been  politely  received  by  him.  On  completing  my 
experiments,  I  called  to  take  leave  of  him,  and  was  sorry 
to  find  him  suffering  from  fever,  and  veiy  weak. 

I  returned  to  Manila,  and  next  day  was  horrified  to 
read  in  a  newspaper  that  he  had  been  murdered  in  the 
night  by  his  two  servants.  This  atrocious  crime,  committed 
on  a  helpless  and  infirm  old  man,  with  every  circumstance 
of  premeditation  and  barbarity,  and  with  the  object  of 
robbery,  roused  the  indignation  of  every  European.  The 
culprits  were  soon  apprehended,  and  such  expedition  was 
used  by  the  Promoter  Fiscal  and  the  court,  that  within  a 
week  from  the  perpetration  of  the  murder  the  two  servants 
were  garrotted  on  a  scaffold  erected  near  the  scene  of  their 
barbarous  crime. 

Such  is  the  rapidity  with  which  the  Philippine  courts 
could  act  when  a  Spaniard  was  the  victim  and  when  public 
opinion  was  deeply  stirred  by  some  shocking  tragedy. 


The  case  of  Juati  de  la  Crii". 

The  following  narrative  of  events,  which  occurred  in 
1886,  will  give  the  reader  a  good  idea  of  the  furious 
passions  that  may  lurk  under  the  inscrutable  features  of 
the  Philippine  Malay,  and  will  also  ser\'e  to  illustrate  the 
procedure  of  the  Spanish  criminal  courts  when  the  victims 
are  natives  and  when  nothing  can  be  made  out  of  the  case. 


THE   CASE   OF  JUAN  DE  LA    CRUZ  33 

Four  of  the  five  actors  or  victims  in  the  tragedy  were  well 
known  to  me,  and  I  learned  all  the  particulars  at  first  hand 
and  at  the  time,  from  those  who  took  steps  to  deliver  over 
the  culprit  to  justice. 

The  decked  steam  launch  Lagnimanoc  belonged  to 
Gustav  Brown,  a  ship  carpenter,  and  was  hired  by  the 
Varadero,  or  Slipway  Company  of  Caiiacao,  near  Cavite,  to 
keep  up  communication  with  Manila,  whilst  the  slip  was 
being  constructed. 

I  was  consulting  engineer  to  the  company,  and  Mr. 
J.  L.  Houston  was  the  resident  engineer  in  charge  of  the 
work.  Both  of  us  made  frequent  voyages  in  this  launch 
between  Caiiacao  and  Manila.  The  crew  consisted  of  a 
patron  (coxswain)  named  Juan  de  la  Cruz,  an  engine-driver, 
a  stoker,  and  a  boy,  all  Tagals. 

Juan  de  la  Cruz  was  an  elderly  man  with  grey  hair,  and 
in  figure  thin  and  wiry.  He  was  a  good  man  at  his  duty, 
one  of  the  silent  Indians  whom  I  have  always  found  to  be 
the  best.  A  thorough  sailor,  he  had  served  under  many 
a  flag,  and  sailed  o'er  many  a  sea,  both  in  tropic  and  in 
northern  climes. 

The  engine-driver  and  the  stoker  were  brothers,  strong 
and  well-built  young  fellows,  and  smart  at  their  work.  The 
boy  was  an  active  lad,  quite  pleased  to  be  employed  on  a 
steam-boat. 

One  day,  the  stoker,  going  through  the  blacksmith's 
shop,  saw  a  piece  of  square  steel,  which  had  been  cut  off  a 
long  bar,  lying  on  the  floor,  and  it  struck  him  that  it  would 
be  better  than  a  hammer  for  breaking  coal.  So  he  annexed 
it  without  leave,  and  got  one  end  drawn  out  and  rounded 
so  that  he  could  easily  hold  it.  This  made  a  very  efficient 
coal-breaker,  the  sharp  edges  divided  the  lumps  with  great 
ease.  It  was  about  eighteen  inches  long,  and  one  and  three- 
quarter  inches  square.  The  patron  was  married,  and  his 
wife  lived  in  Manila,  but,  sailor-like,  he  had  provided 
himself  with  a  sweetheart,  at  the  other  end  of  his  run, 
where  he  spent  more  time  than  in  the  Pasig,  and  had 
become  intimate  with  a  damsel  of  San  Roque,  a  village 
between  the  Varadero  and  Cavite.  Things  went  on 
apparently  all  right  for  some  time  ;  the  launch  making 
almost  daily  trips  between  Caiiacao  and  Manila,  and  the 
elderly  patron  alternating  between  the  conjugal  domicile 
and  the  dwelling  of  his  mistress.  She  was  young,  and,  as 
native  girls  go,  a  pretty  woman.     Come  of  a  strange  and 

D 


34        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  rillLIPPINES 

unknown  mixture  of  races,  and  bred  up  amongst  a  com- 
munity noted  for  its  profligacy,  she  knew  how  to  make  the 
best  use  of  her  charms  and  was  well  fitted  to  captivate  the 
weather-beaten  seaman. 

He,  if  not  desirable  in  himself,  held  a  well  paid  post, 
and  was  able  to  place  her  above  want. 

Already  fifty  years  old,  he  was  as  susceptible  as  a  youth 
and  far  more  in  earnest.  Day  by  day,  as  he  basked  in  her 
smiles,  his  infatuation  increased  till  he  became  violently 
enamoured  of  his  charmer. 

What  could  be  more  natural  than  that  the  crew  of 
the  launch  should  become  acquainted  with  the  patron's 
mistress  .''  Soon  the  engine-driver  and  the  stoker  were  her 
constant  visitors.  The  damsel  had  a  kind  word  and  a 
smile  for  both,  and  doubtless  contrasted  their  vigorous 
youth  and  shapely  forms  with  the  shrunken  figure  of  her 
elderly  protector,  and  their  lively  conversation  with  his 
glum  silence. 

In  the  end,  no  doubt,  the  damsel  refused  them  nothing. 
Trouble  was  now  brewing.  The  grim  sailor  was  not 
the  m.an  to  let  himself  be  wronged  with  impunity.  All  the 
elements  of  a  tragedy  were  present.  Things  no  longer 
went  smoothly  on  board  the  Lagiiimanoc,  and  her  voyages 
lost  their  regularity.  Something  was  perpetually  going 
wrong  with  the  engines,  pieces  or  fittings  disappeared 
unaccountably,  usually  pieces  of  copper  or  brass.  The 
engine-driver  was  blamed,  but  he  succeeded  in  averting  his 
impending  discharge,  Could  he  have  foreseen  the  con- 
sequences of  remaining,  he  would  have  promptly  discharged 
himself. 

On  board  the  launch  mutual  distrust  prevailed.  The 
engine-driver  must  have  known  that  it  was  the  patron  who 
had  thrown  overboard  the  fittings  in  his  absence,  hoping  to 
get  him  discharged,  but  he  held  his  peace. 

The  silent  figure  at  the  tiller  made  no  sign  ;  no  trace 
of  emotion  could  be  seen  on  the  Sphinx-like  face,  no 
reproaches  passed  his  lips,  not  the  slightest  manifestation 
of  resentment.  But  underneath  that  imperturbable  calm 
there  existed  the  steadfast  determination  to  have  a  full 
and  bloody  revenge  on  all  who  had  offended  him.  The 
Laguimanoc  made  a  voyage  to  Manila  one  Saturday  to 
take  up  the  resident  engineer  who  often  spent  his  Sundays 
there,  the  launch  remaining  in  the  river.  On  Monday 
morning  when  he  came  down  to  the  launch  he  found  that 


THE   CASE   OF  JUAN  DE  LA    CRUZ  35 

the  safety  valve  was  missing  from  its  seat,  and  was  delayed 
till  another  could  be  procured. 

No  explanations  of  the  loss  of  this  piece  could  be  got, 
and  the  Lag7iii)ianoc  proceeded  with  the  resident  engineer 
to  Cafiacao  and  made  fast  to  the  jetty. 

A  crisis  was  now  reached.  The  abstraction  of  the 
safety-valve  could  not  be  overlooked,  and  some  one  would 
have  to  go.  An  inquiry  was  to  be  made,  but  on  Tuesday 
morning  the  patron  walked  up  the  jetty,  and  reported  to 
Mr.  Gustav  Brown,  who  was  the  foreman  of  the  works,  that 
the  engine-driver  and  stoker  were  absent.  He  stated  that 
they  had  gone  ashore  in  the  night,  and  had  not  returned. 
Nothing  could  be  learned  about  them  ;  nobody  had  seen 
them  ;  their  kits  were  still  on  board.  As  the  day  wore  on 
they  did  not  come  nor  send  any  message  ;  so  a  report  of  their 
disappearance  was  sent  to  the  judge  at  Cavite. 

An  engine-fitter  from  the  works  was  sent  on  board  to 
take  charge  of  the  engine,  and  another  stoker  was  engaged  ; 
the  launch  resuming  her  running.  The  work  of  the  Vara- 
dero  proceeded  as  usual  ;  divers  were  preparing  the 
foundations  to  receive  the  immense  gridiron  which  was 
shortly  to  be  launched  and  sunk  in  place.  It  was  a  busy 
scene  of  organised  labour  under  a  skilful  resident  engineer ; 
every  difficulty  foreseen  and  provided  for,  materials  de- 
livered in  good  time,  notwithstanding  obstructions  ;  not  an 
unnecessary  auger-hole  bored,  not  a  stroke  of  an  adze 
thrown  away. 

From  the  Sleepy  Hollow  of  the  naval  arsenal  opposite 
jealous  eyes  watched  the  work  proceed.  Every  art  of 
vexation  and  obstruction  that  bitter  envy  could  devise  had 
for  years  been  employed  to  prevent  the  building  of  this 
slip,  and  onerous  and  unfair  conditions  had  been  inserted 
in  the  concession.  But  Anglo-American  persistence  and 
industry  had  succeeded  so  far,  and  in  the  hands  of  Messrs. 
Peel,  Hubbell  &  Co.  and  their  advisers,  the  work  was  now 
well  advanced. 

The  obsolete  corvette  Dona  Maria  Molina  was  moored 
off  the  coaling-wharf  adjoining  the  Varadero,  and  when  one 
of  her  boats  was  going  on  shore  the  sailors  noticed  two 
dead  bodies  floating  in  the  water,  and  reported  this  to  the 
officer  of  the  watch,  who  ordered  them  to  tow  the  bodies 
to  the  shore  towards  Punta  Sangley,  and  drag  them  up  on 
the  sand  above  high-water  mark.  The  bodies  were  lashed 
together  with  a  piece  of  new  rope  having  a  blue  strand  in 

D  2 


36       THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  centre,  and  had  a  ^ood-sized  piece  of  white  granite 
attached  as  a  sinker.  On  looking  at  the  lashings  no  one 
could  doubt  that  the  work  had  been  done  by  an  able 
seaman.  The  bodies  presented  ghastly  wounds,  both  had 
fractures  of  the  skull,  and  gaping  cuts  on  the  throat  and 
abdomen  ;  they  had  also  been  gnawed  by  fishes.  The 
swelling  of  the  bodies  had  sufficed  to  bring  them  to  the 
surface,  stone  and  all. 

The  news  of  the  finding  of  the  corpses  did  not  imme- 
diately reach  the  Varadero,  and  they  were  conveyed  to 
Cavite,  and  buried  just  as  they  were  found,  tied  together 
with  the  ropes  and  stone,  without  being  identified.  It 
seemed  nobody's  business  to  trouble  about  them,  notwith- 
standing the  evident  fact  that  they  had  been  murdered. 
The  Manila  newspapers  did  not  mention  the  circumstance. 

But  at  this  time  other  events  happened.  The  patron  of 
the  launch  disappeared  without  taking  his  kit  with  him. 
Then  the  boy  disappeared,  and  I  may  as  well  at  once  say 
that,  from  that  time  to  this,  that  boy  has  never  been  heard 
of  by  the  Varadero  Company,  who  were  his  employers. 
Next,  that  gay  and  lascivious  damsel  of  San  Roque,  whose 
unbridled  sensuality  had  wrought  the  trouble,  also  dis- 
appeared as  mysteriously  as  the  others. 

Dr.  Juan  Perez,  of  Cavite,  was  the  medical  attendant  to 
the  staff  of  the  Varadero,  and  used  to  call  there  every 
afternoon.  On  hearing  from  him  about  the  discovery  of 
the  bodies,  the  resident  engineer  at  once  thought  of  his 
missing  men,  and  the  flight  of  the  patron  confirmed  his 
suspicions.  A  minute  examination  of  the  launch  was 
made,  and  revealed  some  stains  of  blood  which  had  not 
been  entirely  removed  by  the  usual  washing  down.  Several 
small  cuts  such  as  might  be  made  with  the  point  of  a  bolo 
were  found  in  the  flat  skylight  of  the  cabin,  and  a  deeper 
cut  on  the  bulwark  rail,  starboard  side  forward,  opposite 
the  skylight.  A  working  rope  was  missing  from  the 
launch.  It  had  only  recently  been  supplied  to  it,  and  had 
been  cut  off  a  whole  coil  purchased  a  few  weeks  before 
from  a  sailing-vessel,  for  the  use  of  the  Varadero.  That 
ro[)e  had  a  blue  strand  in  the  centre.  Gustav  Brown  put 
on  a  diving-dress,  and  went  down  at  the  head  of  the 
northern  jetty,  where  the  launch  used  to  lie,  and  carefully 
examined  the  bottom.  Presently  his  eye  rested  on  an 
object  that  he  recognised.  It  was  the  square  steel  coal- 
breaker  used  by  the  stoker,  and  he  brought  it  up. 


THE   CASE   OF  JUAN  DE  LA    CRUZ  37 

Meanwhile,  a  new  coxswain  had  been  found  for  the 
launch,  and  as  the  old  patron  had  left  his  vessel  illegally, 
there  was  ground  for  his  arrest  on  that  score,  so  orders 
were  given  to  the  new  patron  and  to  the  engine-driver  to 
give  him  into  custody  if  he  came  to  claim  his  kit.  Next 
time  the  launch  arrived  in  Manila,  sure  enough  the  old 
patron  appeared  to  fetch  his  belongings,  and  was  taken  to 
the  calaboose  of  the  captain  of  the  port.  The  resident 
engineer  called  on  that  official,  and,  as  a  result  of  their 
conversation,  the  prisoner  was  put  on  board  the  launch  to 
be  conveyed  to  Cavite. 

With  all  the  stoicism  of  the  Malay,  he  sat  quite  still  and 
silent  ;  his  impassive  features  betrayed  no  sign  of  anxiety 
or  remorse. 

But  if  the  principal  actor  in  this  bloody  tragedy  could 
thus  compose  his  mind,  it  was  not  so  with  others  who  knew 
more  or  less  what  had  happened,  but  whose  dread  and 
hatred  of  the  law  and  its  myrmidons  had  kept  their  tongues 
quiet. 

When  the  launch  approached  the  Varadero  near  enough 
for  the  prisoner  to  be  recognised,  an  unusual  commotion 
occurred  amongst  the  swarm  of  native  workmen.  A 
mysterious  magnetism,  an  inexplicable  vibration,  pervaded 
the  crowd.  Unfelt  by  the  senses,  it  acted  on  the  mind. 
and  seemed  simultaneously  to  convey  to  each  individual 
an  identical  idea. 

The  patron  was  a  prisoner,  therefore  his  crime  was 
known  ;  no  good  could  be  done  by  keeping  silent.  Before 
this  nobody  knew  anything  about  the  disappearance  of  the 
two  men.  Now  it  leaked  out,  but  only  in  confidence  to 
Gustav  Brown,  whom  they  trusted.  The  native  divers  had 
seen  the  bodies  when  at  their  vvork  on  the  foundations,  and 
had  moved  them  farther  off  out  of  their  way.  Men  working 
at  the  jetties  had  seen  them  when  they  floated,  but  had 
looked  in  another  direction.  In  fact,  the  corpses  had  been 
recognised,  and  the  crime  was  known  to  scores  of  native 
and  Chinese  workmen,  but  no  word  or  hint  ever  reached 
the  foreman  or  the  engineer  till  the  culprit  was  arrested. 

Now  there  were  sufficient  details  to  reconstitute  the 
tragic  scene. 

The  amour  of  the  brothers  with  the  San  Roque  girl  was 
known,  and  also  the  well-founded  jealousy  of  the  patron, 
who  at  first  endeavoured  to  obtain  the  engine-driver's 
discharge   by   the   means   already   mentioned.      This   not 


38        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

succeeding,  he  determined  to  kill  both  of  them,  and  without 
showing  a  sign  of  the  deadly  hatred  that  possessed  him, 
calmly  awaited  his  opportunity. 

On  the  Monday  night,  7th  June,  after  the  incident  of 
the  safety-valve,  the  launch  was  moored  alongside  the 
Varadero  jetty,  and  the  two  brothers  lay  fast  asleep  on  the 
flat  top  of  the  cabin  skylight,  each  wrapped  in  his  blanket. 

A  native  sleeps  hard,  and  is  not  easily  awakened,  nor 
when  aroused  docs  he  quickly  regain  his  faculties.  It  is  an 
important  point  in  the  Malay  code  of  manners  never  to 
awaken  any  person  suddenly,  for  it  is  believed  that,  during 
sleep,  the  soul  is  absent  from  the  body,  wandering  around, 
and  must  be  given  time  to  return,  otherwise  serious,  even 
fatal  consequences,  may  ensue.  The  awakened  person  may 
become  an  idiot,  or  some  great  harm  may  happen  to  the 
unmannerly  one  who  awakened  him.  Many  natives  have 
as  great  a  fear  of  the  wandering  soul  of  a  sleeping  person 
as  of  an  evil  spirit  or  ghost.  The  soul  is  said  to  return  to 
the  body  in  the  form  of  a  small  black  ball,  which  enters  the 
mouth. 

Moreover,  one  of  the  greatest,  in  fact,  the  most  terrible, 
curse  that  can  be  uttered  by  many  tribes,  is,  "  May  you  die 
sleeping,"  for  it  means  death  to  body  and  soul.  That, 
however,  was  the  fate  reserved  for  the  brothers.  Towards 
midnight,  when  the  cooking- fires  in  the  coolie  quarters  had 
burnt  down,  and  the  chatter  of  the  Chinese  had  subsided, 
when  the  last  lights  in  the  Europeans'  houses  had  been 
extinguished,  and  not  a  sound  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
night,  the  patron  addressed  himself  to  the  performance  of 
his  bloody  task.  Slipping  his  sharpened  bolo  through  his 
belt,  he  descended  into  the  engine-room,  and,  seizing  the 
coal-breaker,  crept  forward  to  where  the  doomed  men 
slumbered,  perhaps  dreaming  of  the  charms  of  that  dark 
damsel,  the  enjoyment  of  whose  embraces  was  to  cost  them 
so  dear.  Meanwhile,  their  fate  approached  ;  their  time  was 
come. 

The  patron  was  past  his  prime  ;  privations  at  sea  and 
dissipation  on  shore  had  sapped  his  strength.  But  bitter 
hatred  nerving  his  arm,  with  lightning  rapidity  and  terrific 
force  he  discharged  a  blow  on  each  sleeper's  unprotected 
head.  The  sharp  edge  of  the  steel  bar  crashed  deep  into 
their  skulls,  driving  in  the  splintered  bone  upon  the  brain. 
One  agonised  shudder  from  each,  then  all  was  still.  A 
European  murderer  might  have  been  satisfied  with  this. 


THE   CASE   OP   JUAN  DE  LA    CRUZ  39 

Not  so  a  Tagal.  A  ceremony  still  remained  to  be  accom- 
plished. Their  blood  must  flow  ;  they  must  sufifer  mutila- 
tion. Seizing  his  bolo,  the  assassin  now  vented  his  rage  in 
cutting  and  thrusting  at  the  bodies.  The  heavy  and  keen- 
edged  blade  fell  repeatedly,  cutting  great  gashes  on  the 
throats  and  bellies  of  the  victims,  whilst  streams  of  gore 
ran  down  the  waterways,  and  trickled  out  at  the  scuppers, 
staining  the  white  sides  of  the  launch  with  crimson  streaks. 

His  blood-thirst  assuaged,  his  vengeance  partly  accom- 
plished, and  his  spirit  comforted  by  his  desperate  deed,  the 
murderer  probably  paused  for  a  time,  and  began  to  con- 
sider how  he  could  conceal  his  crime.  No  sign  of  move- 
ment anywhere.  Apparently  the  dull  sounds  of  the  blows 
had  fallen  on  no  mortal  ear.  Presently,  taking  up  one  of 
his  working  ropes,  he  mounted  the  jetty,  and  walked  to  the 
shore,  where  there  lay  a  pile  of  stone  ballast.  It  was  white 
granite,  discharged  from  a  sailing-ship  that  had  come  from 
Hong  Kong  in  ballast,  and  it  had  been  purchased  for  the 
Varadero.  Selecting  a  suitable  piece,  he  carried  it  to  the 
end  of  the  jetty,  and  lowered  it  by  the  rope  into  the  launch. 
Then,  descending,  he  firmly  lashed  the  two  bodies  together, 
and  fastened  the  stone  to  them.  Then  he  drew  the  bodies 
to  the  side,  preparatory  to  launching  them  overboard. 
Now  an  incident  occurred.  It  is  thought  that  one  of  the 
two  men  was  not  quite  dead,  notwithstanding  his  dreadful 
wounds,  and  that  recovering  consciousness,  and  perceiving 
what  awaited  him,  seized  the  rail  in  his  death-grasp,  and 
resisted  the  attempt  to  throw  him  over. 

The  patron  must  once  again  have  had  recourse  to  his 
murderous  bolo,  bringing  it  down  on  the  clenched  hand,  for 
a  deep  cut  was  found  on  the  rail  with  blood  driven  into  the 
pores  of  the  wood  by  that  savage  blow.  The  tendons 
severed,  the  hand  unclasped,  and  next  moment  the  bodies 
slid  over  the  rail  and  down  underneath  the  keel  of  the 
launch  in  some  four  fathoms  of  water.  Throwing  the  steel 
coal-breaker  after  them,  the  patron's  next  task  was  to  wash 
away  the  traces  of  his  crime,  and  this  he  did  fairly  well  so 
that  nothing  was  noticed,  till,  suspicion  being  aroused,  a 
careful  scrutiny  was  made,  with  the  result  already  men- 
tioned. It  is  not  known  whether  the  boy  knew  anything 
of  the  tragedy  performed  so  near  him,  for  he  was  never 
questioned,  having  apparently  disappeared  off  the  face  of 
the  earth  as  soon  as  the  bodies  were  found.  What  the 
patron  did  afterwards  can  only  be  conjectured.     Guilty  of 


40        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


two  atrocious  murders,  and  of  savage  mutilation  of  the 
slain,  could  he  ha\e  composed  himself  to  a  quiet  and 
dreamless  slumber  ?  Or  was  his  imagination  fired  to 
further  revenge  by  dream-pictures  of  his  once-loved 
mistress  in  the  arms  of  her  youthful  lovers  ?  All  that  is 
known  is  that  he  presented  himself  to  the  foreman  early  on 
the  Tuesday  morning,  and  reported  the  absence  of  the  two 
men  without  showing  on  his  dark  visage  the  slightest  sign 
of  trouble  or  emotion. 

We  left  the  patron  a  prisoner  on  the  launch.  Now  it 
became  necessary  to  give  him  in  charge  to  the  judicial 
authorities,  for  it  was  getting  late  in  the  afternoon.  They 
did  not  show  any  undue  eagerness  to  receive  him.  The 
judge  first  applied  to  explained  that  he  was  only  acting 
temporarily,  that  the  judge  had  departed,  having  been 
transferred  to  another  place,  and  that  the  new  judge  had 
not  yet  arrived,  therefore  he  much  regretted  he  could  not 
take  up  the  case.  An  appeal  was  then  made  to  the 
Gobernador-Politico-Militar,  who  most  courteously  ex- 
plained that  a  civil  court  was  established  in  the  province 
with  full  jurisdiction,  both  criminal  and  civil,  so  that  he 
could  not  interfere.  It  was  now  nearly  sunset,  and  the 
prisoner  had  been  on  the  launch  all  day.  The  resident 
engineer  then  called  on  the  Commandante  of  Canacao — a 
naval  officer  who  had  a  few  marines  at  his  disposal — and 
obtained  as  a  personal  favour  that  the  prisoner  should  be 
temporarily  secured  in  the  guard-room.  The  next  day  the 
resident  engineer  proceeded  to  Cavite,  and,  accompanied 
by  Dr.  Juan  Perez,  visited  the  principal  authorities,  and 
eventually  succeeded  in  getting  the  prisoner  lodged  in  jail, 
and  a  charge  of  murder  entered  against  him.  The  bodies 
of  the  victims  were  never  exhumed  for  examination.  The 
resident  engineer  made  a  declaration,  which  was  taken 
down  in  writing,  and  on  one  of  his  busiest  days  he  was 
peremptorily  summoned  to  appear  before  the  judge,  and 
solemnly  ratify  his  teftimony. 

About  three  days  after  Juan  de  la  Cruz  was  lodged  in 
Cavite  jail,  the  dead  body  of  the  San  Roque  damsel, 
gashed  by  savage  blows  of  the  fatal  bolo,  was  left  by  the 
ebb  on  the  sands  of  Paraiiaque,  a  village  just  across  the 
little  Bay  of  Bacoor  opposite  to  San  Roque.  She  had  paid 
with  her  life  for  her  frailty  as  many  another  woman  has 
done  in  every  clime.  P>om  the  appearance  of  the  body  it 
was  thought  it  had  been  several  days  in  the  water. 


THE   CASE   OF  JUAN  DE  LA    CRUZ  41 

No  legal  evidence  was  forthcoming  to  fix  the  crime  on 
any  one,  although  few  of  those  who  knew  the  story 
harboured  a  doubt  that  the  assassin  of  the  two  brothers  was 
the  murderer  of  the  girl  also. 

Juan  de  la  Cruz  remained  in  prison,  and  from  time  to 
time,  but  with  increasing  intervals,  the  resident  engineer, 
the  foreman  and  others  were  cited  by  the  judge,  interro- 
gated, then  cited  again  to  ratify  their  declarations. 

The  espediente,  a  pile  of  stamped  paper,  grew  thicker 
and  thicker,  but  the  trial  seemed  no  nearer.  Month  after 
month  rolled  on,  the  Varadero  was  finished,  ships  were 
drawn  up,  repaired  and  launched,  Juan  continued  in 
prison. 

The  resident  engineer  departed  to  other  climes,  and 
was  soon  expending  his  energy  in  building  the  great 
harbour  at  La  Guayra.  I  was  the  means  of  obtaining  an 
order  for  six  gun-boats  for  the  Varadero  Company.  They 
were  built,  launched,  tried  and  delivered,  and  steamed  away 
to  overawe  the  piratical  Moros.  Still  Juan  continued  in 
prison.  Judges  came  and  judges  went,  but  the  trial  came 
no  nearer.  Year  after  year  a  judge  of  the  Audiencia  came 
in  state  to  inspect  the  prisoners,  and  year  after  year  Juan 
was  set  down  as  awaiting  his  trial. 

In  December,  1892,  I  left  the  Philippines  for  Cuba  and 
Juan  de  la  Cruz  was  still  in  Cavite  jail. 

Dr.  Juan  Perez,  the  surgeon  who  had  examined  the 
corpses,  died,  having  wrongly  diagnosed  his  own  case, 
and  Dr.  Hugo  Perez,  a  half  caste,  was  appointed  in  his 
stead.  Gustav  Brown,  the  foreman,  wearied  of  the  monotony 
of  ship  repairing,  became  possessed  by  a  longing  to  resume 
his  nomadic  life  amongst  the  palm-clad  islands  of  the  Pacific. 
He  purchased  a  schooner  and  embarked  with  his  wife  and 
family.  First  running  down  to  Singapore  to  take  in  trade- 
goods  for  bartering  with  the  natives,  he  sailed  away  for  the 
Carolines  where  his  wife's  home  lay.  He  never  reached 
them  ;  for,  soon  after  leaving  Singapore,  he  came  to  a  bloody 
end  at  the  hands  of  his  Chinese  crew,  who  killed  and 
decapitated  him. 

The  insurrection  broke  out  in  Cavite  Province,  Colonel 
Mattone's  column  was  defeated  by  the  insurgents  with  great 
slaughter.  Dr.  Hugo  Perez,  the  successor  of  Dr.  Juan 
Perez,  was  suspected  of  sympathising  with  the  rebels,  and, 
needless  to  say,  he  soon  came  to  a  bloody  end.  He  did  not 
have  to  wait  long  for  his  trial. 


42        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

In  1896,  Mr,  George  Gilchrist,  the  engineer  at  the 
Varadero,  who  was  not  in  the  Philippines  when  the  murders 
were  committed,  was  cited  by  the  judge,  and  asked  if  he 
could  identify  the prisono'  i 01  years  after  Jus  arrest !  Two 
years  more  passed,  and  in  April,  1898,  Mr.  Gilchrist 
returned  to  Scotland  for  a  well-earned  holiday.  When  he 
left  Caiiacao,  Juan  de  la  Cruz  was  still  in  prison  awaiting 
his  trial. 

He  may  have  escaped  when  the  rebels  occupied  Cavite 
after  Admiral  Dewey's  victory  over  the  Spanish  Squadron 
in  the  Bay  of  Bacoor. 

For  the  murderer  no  pity  need  be  felt,  he  certainly  had 
nothing  to  gain  and  all  to  lose  by  a  trial.  A  double 
murder,  premeditated,  accompanied  by  acts  of  great  bar- 
barity, and  committed  at  night,  constitutes  by  the  Penal 
Code  a  capital  offence  with  three  aggravating  circumstances 
which  would  forbid  all  hope  of  clemency. 

But  what  can  be  thought  of  courts  so  remiss  in  their 
duty  .-*  How  many  innocent  prisoners  have  waited  years  for 
their  trial  .'*     How  many  have  died  in  prison  ? 

Piratical  Outrage  in  Ltizoit. 

At  Laguimanoc,  a  port  and  village  in  the  Province  of 
Tayabas,  there  resided  an  Englishman,  Mr.  H.  G.  Brown,  who 
had  been  many  years  in  the  Philippines.  By  the  exercise  of 
untiring  industry,  by  braving  the  malaria  of  the  primeval 
forests,  and  by  his  never-failing  tact  in  dealing  with  the 
officials  of  the  Woods  and  Forests  on  the  one  hand,  and  with 
the  semi-barbarous  and  entirely  lawless  wood-cutters  on  the 
other,  he  had  built  up  an  extensive  business  in  cutting  timber 
in  the  state  forests  of  Southern  Luzon  and  the  adjacent 
islands.  He  was  owner  of  several  sailing  vessels,  had  a 
well-appointed  saw-mill,  and  a  comfortable  residence  at 
Languiman6c.  He  employed  large  numbers  of  wood- 
cutters ;  all  under  advances  of  pay,  who  were  scattered 
about  the  Provinces  of  Tayabas,  and  Camarines  Norte 
over  a  considerable  area. 

His  business  was  so  considerable  that  he  paid  the 
Government  fully  $30,000  per  year  as  royalty  on  timber 
which  was  mostly  shipped  to  Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai. 

In  order  to  facilitate  a  business  so  profitable  to  them  the 
Government  placed  a  Custom  House  official  at  Atimonan, 
in  the  Bay  of  Lamon  on  the  Pacific  coast,  to  clear  and 


PIRATICAL   OUTRAGE  IN  LUZON  43 

despatch  his  timber  vessels  loaded  at  Atim6nan,  Gumacas, 
Lopez,  Alabat  Island,  or  other  places.  To  show  how  little 
Mr.  Brown  spared  himself,  I  may  mention  that  not  even  the 
dreaded  jungle- fever  of  Mindoro  prevented  him  from 
personally  superintending  the  loading  of  several  vessels  at 
different  ports  of  that  pestilential  island.  In  persistence 
and  pluck  he  was  a  worthy  predecessor  of  Professor  D.  C. 
Worcester,  who  years  afterwards  showed  his  Anglo-Saxon 
determination  in  the  same  fearsome  spot. 

One  day  in  December  of  1S84.  Mr.  Brown  being  absent 
in  Hong  Kong,  and  his  manager,  Mr.  Anderson,  busy  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  looking  after  the  loading  of  a  vessel,  the 
out-door  superintendent,  a  Swede  named  Alfred  Olsen,  was 
in  charge  of  the  house,  office,  and  saw-mill  at  Laguimanoc, 
and  was  attending  to  the  loading  of  the  Tartar,  one  of 
Mr.  Brown's  ships  which  was  anchored  in  the  bay  taking  in 
timber  for  China.  She  had  a  native  crew  who  occasionally 
of  an  evening,  when  ashore  to  enjoy  themselves,  got  up  a 
disturbance  with  the  villagers.  On  board  this  vessel  there 
were,  as  is  usual,  two  Carabineros  or  Custom  House  guards 
to  prevent  smuggling. 

Although  no  one  in  the  village  suspected  it,  two  large 
canoes  full  of  armed  men  were  lying  concealed  behind  a 
point  in  Capuluan  Cove  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Bay.  At 
eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  it  being  quite  dark,  they  came 
across,  and  in  perfect  order,  according  to  a  pre-arranged  plan 
advanced  in  silence  on  the  village.  The  assailants  numbered 
twenty-eight  men,  and  were  variously  armed  with  lances, 
bolos  and  daggers.  Only  the  leader  bore  a  revolver.  A 
guard  was  left  on  the  canoes,  four  of  the  gang  were  stationed 
at  the  door  of  Mr.  Brown's  house,  and  others  at  strategic 
points,  whilst  the  main  body  attacked  the  Tribunal  close  by 
which  was  also  the  estanco  where  there  was  some  Govern- 
ment money,  postage  stamps  and  stamped  paper.  At  all 
Tribunalcs  there  are  a  couple  of  cuadrilleros,  or  village 
constables  on  guard,  armed  usually  with  lance  and  bolo. 
These  men  did  their  duty  and  manfully  resisted  the  pirates. 
In  the  combat  which  ensued,  the  sergeant  of  the  Cuad- 
rilleros was  killed  and  some  on  both  sides  were  wounded, 
but  the  pirates  got  the  best  of  the  fight,  and  plundered  the 
estanco. 

In  the  meantime,  Olsen,  having  heard  the  uproar,  may 
have  thought  that  the  crew  of  the  Tartar  were  again  making 
a  disturbance.     At  all  events  he  left  the  house  unarmed 


44        THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

and  unsuspicious,  thus  walking  into  the  trap  laid  for  him. 
The  Tagals  have  a  great  respect  for  fire-arms,  more  especi- 
ally for  the  revolvers  and  repeating  rifles  of  the  foreigner, 
thus  they  did  not  venture  to  enter  the  house,  but  the 
moment  Olsen  stepped  out  into  the  darkness  and  before  he 
could  see  round  about  him,  he  was  attacked  by  two  men  on 
each  side,  who  plunged  their  daggers  into  his  body,  piercing 
his  lungs.  Bleeding  profusely  and  vomiting  blood  he 
rushed  back  into  the  house  towards  his  bedroom  to  get  his 
revolver  which  was  under  the  bed.  His  assailants,  however, 
followed  him  into  the  room  and  butchered  him  before  he 
could  grasp  it.  At  least  the  revolver  was  afterwards  found 
in  its  case  with  the  perfect  impress  of  his  blood-stained  hand 
upon  the  oaken  lid.  A  native  boy  named  Pablo,  about 
eight  years  old,  was  in  the  house  at  the  time,  and  in  his 
terror  squeezed  himself  into  a  narrow  space  behind  the  door 
and  escaped  discovery,  although  he  was  an  eye-witness  of 
the  crime. 

By  this  time  the  alarm  had  spread  all  over  the  little 
village,  and  the  noise  was  heard  on  board  the  Tartar.  The 
two  Carabineros,  taking  their  Remingtons  and  cartridge 
boxes,  had  themselves  paddled  on  shore,  and  marching  up  the 
stairs  which  led  to  the  rocky  eminence  on  which  the  village 
stands,  bravely  advanced  against  the  pirates  although  out- 
numbered by  more  than  ten  to  one.  They  fired  their  rifles, 
but  the  gang  rushed  upon  them  and  in  a  moment  they  were 
cut  down,  and  according  to  Tagal  custom,  their  bellies  were 
ripped  open.  The  pirates  having  now  overcome  all  opposi- 
tion and  having  plundered  the  cstanco,  and  the  inevitable 
Chinaman's  shop,  transferred  their  attention  to  Mr.  Brown's 
house,  which  they  ransacked,  taking  the  contents  of  the  safe, 
a  collection  of  gold  and  silver  coins,  seven  Martini-Henry 
rifles  with  ammunition,  and  two  revolvers,  as  well  as  any 
other  things  they  deemed  of  value.  They  burst  open  the 
desks,  drawers,  and  wardrobes,  cutting  and  hacking  the 
furniture  with  their  bolos  in  wanton  mischief  Then 
embarking  their  spoil,  they  sailed  away  with  the  land 
breeze. 

Information  had  been  sent  ofl"  to  the  nearest  post  of  the 
Guardia  Civil,  and  on  its  receipt,  an  oflficer  with  a  force  of 
that  corps  instantly  set  off  and  captured  one  party  of  the 
pirates  red-handed  as  they  beached  their  canoe.  Within  a 
week  twenty-six  had  been  captured  and  one  shot  dead 
whilst  escaping.     There  only  remained  the  leader.     He,  as 


PIRATICAL   OUTRAGE  IN  LUZON  45 

it  was  afterwards  discovered,  was  concealed  in  a  secluded 
wood  a  few  miles  from  Sariaya,  and  one  night  he  was 
speared  by  the  Captain  of  Cuadrilleros  of  that  town,  who  is 
said  to  have  had  valid  reasons  for  getting  him  out  of  the 
way. 

This  band  of  pirates  were  a  mixed  lot ;  some  of  them 
were  principales  or  members  of  the  town  council  of  Sariaya, 
a  picturesque  little  place  on  the  southern  slope  of  Mount 
Banajao,  and  some  from  San  Juan  de  Boc-boc  ;  others  were 
ordinary  inhabitants,  a  few  were  outlaws  from  the  San  Juan 
mountains,  and  four  or  five  were  fishermen  whom  the  gang 
had  met  on  their  passage  by  sea  and  had  invited  to 
accompany  them.  This  custom  of  Convites  is  explained  in 
Chapter  XXV.  Of  course  the  fishermen,  when  interro- 
gated, declared  they  had  been  pressed  into  the  service,  but 
in  fact  very  few  natives  have  the  moral  courage  to  decline 
so  pleasing  an  entertainment,  as  it  appeals  to  a  feeling 
deeply  seated  in  their  hearts,  the  love  of  rapine,  only  to  be 
restrained  by  the  heavy  hand  of  a  military  police  "who  do 
not  hesitate  to  shoot."  The  provincial  doctor  arrived  next 
morning  with  the  judge  who  was  to  take  the  depositions  of 
the  villagers  and  draw  up  the  snmario.  Olsen  was  dead, 
the  sergeant  of  Cuadrilleros  also  and  one  of  the  Carabineros, 
but  strange  to  say,  in  spite  of  a  dozen  ghastly  wounds,  the 
other  one  was  still  alive,  though  his  bowels  were  protruding, 
having  fallen  out  through  the  gash  which  it  is  the  Tagal 
custom  to  finish  off  with. 

When  the  provincial  doctor  saw  him,  he  said,  **  Nothing 
can  possibly  be  done  for  him,"  and  departed.  So,  aban- 
doned to  his  own  resources,  he  replaced  the  bowels  himself, 
and  getting  one  of  the  villagers  to  bind  him  up,  he  eventu- 
ally recovered.  He  was  seen  by  Mr.  Brown  a  year  or  two 
later,  and  is  probably  alive  now.  This  seems  extraordinary, 
but  a  similar  case  occurred  to  a  man  who  had  worked  under 
me.  An  English  bricklayer  named  John  Heath  had  been 
employed  building  furnaces  and  kilns  in  Manila,  and  having 
completed  his  work,  took  to  farming  and  rented  some  grass 
meadows  (sacate  lands)  at  Mandaloyan.  One  night  he  and 
another  Englishman  staying  with  him  were  attacked  in  his 
house  by  a  party  of  Tagals  with  drawn  bolos.  The  visitor, 
although  wounded,  leaped  from  the  window  and  escaped, 
but  Heath  was  cut  down,  then  lifted  on  to  the  window  sill, 
hacked  about,  and  finally,  according  to  Tagal  custom, 
ripped  open  and  left  for  dead.     Yet  this  man  also  entirely 


46        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

recovered,  and  after  a  year  seemed  as  strong  as  ever, 
although  he  was  advised  not  to  exert  his  strength.  This 
outrage  was  clearly  agrarian,  and  was,  I  feel  sure,  com- 
mitted by  those  who  had  previously  rented  these  lands 
and  had  been  turned  out.  No  one  was  ever  punished 
for  it. 

To  return  to  the  gang  of  pirates  ;  two  had  been  killed, 
the  rest  were  in  prison.  Year  after  year  passed,  still  they 
remained  in  prison  ;  judges  came,  stayed  their  term,  were 
promoted  and  went,  but  still  these  men  were  never 
sentenced. 

In  1889, 1  visited  Laguimanoc  to  make  a  plan  and  valua- 
tion of  the  property,  as  the  business  was  about  to  be  taken 
over  by  a  Limited  Liability  Company,  established  in  Hong 
Kong.  This  wfs.5  five  years  after  the  date  of  the  murders, 
some  of  the  prisoners  had  died  in  prison,  the  others  were 
awaiting  their  sentence.  But  I  found  that  the  Government 
had  established  a  sergeant's  post  of  the  Guardia  Civil  in 
the  village,  which  effectually  prevented  a  repetition  of  the 
outrage. 

A  year  later  I  again  visited  Laguiman6c,  but  the  trial 
of  the  prisoners  was  no  further  advanced.  No  less  than 
nine  of  them  died  in  prison,  still  no  sentence  was  pro- 
nounced. Even  for  a  Philippine  Court  this  was  extra- 
ordinary, for  the  gang  had  committed  the  unpardonable 
crime  "  Resistencia  a  fuerza  armada "  (Resistance  to  an 
armed  force),  and  could  have  been  tried  by  Court-martial 
and  summarily  shot.  They  had  also  dared  to  lay  their 
profane  hands  on  the  sacred  money-box  containing  a 
portion  of  the  "Real  Haber"  (Government  money),  so  that 
it  was  not  only  a  question  of  murder  and  robbery  of  private 
people.  But  the  Civil  Court,  negligent,  slothful,  and 
corrupt,  could  not  be  got  to  convict,  and  a  few  years  ago, 
Mr.  Brown  having  left  the  islands,  the  surviving  prisoners 
vfQVQ  pardotied  by  the  Queen  Regent  on  the  occasion  of  the 
young  King's  birthday. 

The  contrast  between  the  military'  and  civil  elements  in 
this  case  is  very  strong. 

The  military  element  performed  its  duties  thoroughly 
well,  under  great  difficulties,  and  promptly  arrested  the 
malefactors.  In  my  experience  this  has  been  always  the 
case,  and  I  draw  from  it  the  conclusion  that  military 
Government  is  essential  to  the  pacification  of  the  Philip- 
pines and  that  authority  must  be  backed  up  by  a  native 


PIRATICAL   OUTRAGE  IX  LUZON  47 

force  of  constabulary  under  American  officers  who  must  be 
young  and  active. 

Such  offences  as  piracy  or  gang-robber>'  should  never 
come  before  a  Civil  Court,  but  should  be  promptly  settled 
by  court-martial  before  which  no  technicalities  or  legal 
subtleties  need  be  taken  into  account. 

A  firm,  nay,  a  heavy  hand  over  the  Philippines  is  the 
most  merciful  in  the  long  run. 

I  am  sorry  to  have  to  relate  that  the  Company  which 
took  over  Mr.  Brown's  business  did  not  long  prosper. 
Whilst  he  remained  at  the  head  of  it,  all  went  well,  but  as 
soon  as  he  left  to  take  a  much-needed  rest,  it  began  to  fail. 
The  personality  of  the  individual  is  everything  in  most 
Spanish  countries  and  especially  in  the  Philippines.  No 
manager  could  be  found  who  could  keep  on  terms  with  the 
officials,  control  the  wild  wood-cutters  or  risk  jungle-fever 
by  entering  the  forests  to  personally  inspect  the  work. 

The  organization  decayed  and  the  business  went  to 
pieces.     Let  intending  investors  take  note. 


48        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   VI. 

CAUSES  OF  TAGAL  REVOLT. 

Corrupt  officials — "Laws  of  the  Indies" — Philippines  a  dependency 
of  Mexico  up  to  iSoo — The  opening  of  the  Suez  Canal— Hordes 
of  useless  officials — The  Asimilistas — Discontent,  but  no  dis- 
turbance— Absence  of  crime — Natives  petition  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  Friars — Many  signatories  of  the  petition  punished. 

The  Spanish  Colonial  system  was  based  upon  the  simple 
and  well-recognised  principle  of  rewarding  political  ser- 
vices to  the  Government  in  power,  by  the  pillage  of  a 
colony. 

Sometimes  special  circumstances  rendered  it  necessary 
for  the  Government  to  send  out  the  man  best  fitted  to  cope 
with  a  critical  situation,  but  in  normal  times  the  good  old 
corrupt  plan  was  followed. 

The  appointment  of  a  Governor-General  would  be 
arranged  by  the  Prime  Minister  and  submitted  for  the 
approval  of  the  monarch.  The  Colonial  Minister,  like  the 
other  subordinate  ministers,  counted  for  little  in  a  Cabinet 
presided  over  by  such  commanding  personalities  as 
Canovas,  or  Sagasta.  They  were,  in  fact,  mere  heads  of 
departments. 

In  another  chapter  I  have  remarked  that  it  was  gene- 
rally believed  that  General  Weyler  purchased  his  appoint- 
ment as  Governor-General  of  the  Philippines,  by  a  cash 
payment  and  an  annual  subsidy. 

There  were,  however,  certain  officials  whom  it  would  be 
unjust  to  class  with  those  who  practically  had  to  rob  for 
their  living,  because  they  were  subject  to  dismissal  at  any 
moment.  These  unfortunates  knew  perfectly  well  that 
integrity  an  J  ability  would  not  ensure  them  a  single  day's 
grace.  Whenever  the  man  in  power  wanted  that  place  for 
his  cousin  or  his  uncle,  out  they  would  go.     Similarly,  if 


METHOD   OF  MAKING  APPOINTMENTS  49 

they  had  any  interest,  misbehaviour  would  not  lose  the  ap- 
pointment. Considering  the  system,  the  wonder  was  that 
some  of  them  were  honest,  not  that  most  of  them  were 
thieves. 

Amongst  those  who  had  fixed  appointments  were  the 
Inspector-General  of  Forests  and  his  assistants.  Every 
British  and  American  resident  in,  or  visitor  to  Manila,  will 
remember  a  Catalan  gentleman,  Don  Sebastian  Vidal  y 
Soler  and  his  charming  wife  Dona  Ella  Paoli  de  Vidal,  a 
lady  from  Philadelphia.  Vidal  was  a  man  of  great  learning 
and  equal  modesty,  a  man  of  the  strictest  honour,  kind- 
hearted  and  charitable  in  the  extreme.  He  was  well-known 
in  America,  in  London,  Paris,  and  Amsterdam,  and  wher- 
ever botanists  congregate.  His  death  in  1890  was  univer- 
sally regretted. 

In  the  same  branch  of  the  service  there  was  another 
gentleman  whom  I  must  name.  Don  Jose  Sainz  de  Baranda, 
at  one  time  acting  Colonial  Secretary,  is  a  most  courteous 
gentleman,  whose  high  character  and  marked  ability  were 
well  worthy  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  General 
Terrero.  Any  country  might  be  proud  to  own  Seiior  Sainz 
de  Baranda.  For  my  part  I  preserve  the  most  agreeable 
remembrances  of  these  two  friends. 

In  the  Department  of  Public  Works  there  were  men 
of  considerable  attainments  as  engineers — Don  Eduardo 
Lopez  Navarro,  author  of  the  project  for  the  new  harbour  ; 
Don  Genaro  Palacios,  who  designed  and  carried  out  the 
waterworks  and  designed  the  Church  of  Saint  Sebastian,  in 
both  of  which  works  I  took  part ;  and  Seiior  Brockman,  who 
constructed  several  lighthouses  in  different  parts  of  the 
Archipelago.  I  feel  bound  to  say  that  so  far  as  my  know- 
ledge went,  there  was  no  corruption  or  underhand  work  in 
either  the  Inspection  of  Forests  or  the  Public  Works. 

As  to  the  patronage  of  other  civil  offices  I  have  had  the 
procedure  explained  to  me  by  a  Spaniard  well  up  in  the 
subject,  and  I  give  an  imaginary  instance  to  illustrate  the 
system. 

When  a  political  party  came  into  power  and  the  ques- 
tion  of  forming   the    Cabinet  was   being   debated,  Seiior 

M ,  a  leader  of  a  group  of  deputies,  might  say,   "  I 

renounce  the  honour  of  entering  the  Cabinet,  and  instead 
will  take  the  Presidency  of  the  Chamber  and  the  right  to 
appoint  the  Collector  of  Customs  at  Havana,  the  Intendant 
General   of    Hacienda   at    Manila,    and   the   Governor   of 

E 


50       THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Batangas,  with  a  dozen  second  and  third  class  governor- 
ships or  judgeships." 

If  this  was   agreed   to,  perhaps,  after  some  haggling, 

Seiior   M distributed    the    nominations   to   the   lower 

appointments  amongst  his  supporters,  who  disposed  of 
them  for  their  own  advantage. 

The  nominations  to  the  higher  offices  remained  the 
absolute  private  property  of  Seiior  M ,  and  he  pro- 
ceeded to  pick  out  men  up  to  the  job,  to  undertake  the 
appointments.  Some  of  them  paid  him  large  sums  in 
cash,  and  others  entered  into  contracts  binding  themselves 
to  remit  him  monthly  a  large  proportion  of  their  emolu- 
ments and  pickings.  In  some  cases  it  was  stipulated  that 
if  a  single  payment  was  in  default,  the  unfortunate  employe 
would  be  instantly  dismissed.  I  have  personally  known  of 
this  condition.  Those  he  nominated  referred  to  him  as 
thtir  padn'no  or  godfather. 

The  actual  holders  of  the  offices  referred  to  would  then 
be  summarily  dismissed,  however  well  they  might  have 
behaved  whilst  serving,  and  the  new  horde  would  be  in- 
stalled in  their  places  and  would  use  every  means  to  fill 
their  pockets  and  to  pay  their  padrino. 

Complaints  against  them  were  not  likely  to  lead  to 
their  removal,  for  they  were  protected  in  Madrid  by  the 
powerful  political  interest  of  their  padrino.  If  they  kept 
within  the  criminal  law,  they  had  little  to  fear,  however 
greedy  they  might  be. 

Some  of  the  governors  and  other  officials  had  the  talent 
of  filling  their  pockets  without  making  enemies.  I  have 
already  referred  to  a  Governor  of  Batangas,  as  eminent  in 
this  line.  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  illicit  gains  of 
the  officials  were  extorted  from  the  individual  native.  They 
were  principally  drawn  from  the  f alios,  or  local  tax  in 
redemption  oi polos  or  personal  service.  This  money  ought 
to  have  been  employed  in  repairing  roads,  bridges,  and 
public  buildings.  But  as  nearly  the  whole  was  diverted 
into  the  pockets  of  the  officials  and  their  padrinos,  the 
roads  became  impassable  in  the  wet  season,  the  bridges,  if 
of  wood,  rotted,  if  of  stone,  were  thrown  down  by  the 
earthquakes  or  carried  away  by  floods,  whilst  the  tribunales 
(town  halls),  fell  into  decay.  I  have  known  cases  where  a 
planter  has  been  unable  for  months  to  send  his  sugar  down 
to  the  port  for  shipment,  as  it  was  absolutely  impossible 
for  carts  to  pass  along  the  road  in  the  wet  season.     In  a 


CORRUPT  OFFICIALS  51 

wealthy  and  populous  province  like  Batangas,  the  f alios 
were  sufficient  to  have  paved  all  the  main  roads  in  the 
province  with  granite  and  to  have  bridged  every  stream. 

I  may  mention  here  a  characteristic  trait  of  Spanish 
administration.  When  a  river-bridge  fell  down,  they  not 
only  did  not  repair  or  renew  it,  but  they  put  up  to  auction 
the  monopoly  of  ferrying  vehicles  and  passengers  across 
the  stream.  The  purchaser  of  the  right  fastened  a  rattan 
across  the  river  and  provided  a  couple  of  canoes  with  a 
platform  of  cane  laid  over  them,  which  served  to  ferry 
vehicles  across  by  means  of  the  rope  ;  one  or  two  at  a 
time  at  a  rather  heavy  charge.  This  truly  Spanish  method 
provided  a  revenue  for  the  Administration,  or  pickings 
for  an  official,  instead  of  requiring  an  outlay  for  a  ne\v 
bridge. 

Still,  the  natives,  never  having  known  anything  better, 
supported  these  drawbacks  with  remarkable  equanimity. 
They  were  left  very  much  to  themselves,  and  were  not 
interfered  with  nor  worried.  The  army  was  small  and  the 
conscription  did  not  press  heavily  upon  them. 

They  lived  under  the  "  Leyes  de  Indias "  (may  their 
makers  have  found  favour  with  God),  a  code  of  laws 
deserving  of  the  greatest  praise  for  wisdom  and  humanity. 
They  protected  the  native  against  extortion,  constituting 
him  a  perpetual  minor  as  against  the  usurer.  He  could  not 
be  sued  for  more  than  five  dollars.  Compare  this  wise  dis- 
position with  what  has  been  going  on  in  India  ever  since 
the  British  Government  has  administered  it,  where  the 
principal  occupation  of  the  lower  courts  is  to  decree  the 
foreclosure  of  mortgages  on  the  ryot's  patches  of  land  at 
the  suit  of  the  village  usurer.  The  result  has  been  that  in 
some  provinces  the  small  landowner  class  who  furnished 
fighting  men  for  the  Indian  Army  has  almost  disappeared. 
It  is  only  now  in  1900  that  something  is  proposed  to  be 
done  to  remedy  this  evil,  and  knowing  my  countrymen, 
I  quite  expect  some  weak-kneed  compromise  will  be 
arrived  at. 

The  "  Leyes  de  Indias "  conferred  upon  the  native 
the  perpetual  usufruct  of  any  land  that  he  kept  under 
cultivation  ;  and  this  right  descended  from  father  to  son. 

As  a  result  of  these  laws,  most  of  the  arable  land  in 
Luzon,  Cebu,  and  some  other  islands  belongs  to  the  natives 
to  this  day,  although  many  of  them  have  no  other  title  than 
possession.     The  natives  also  had  the  privilege  of  cutting 

E  2 


52        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

timber  in  the  forests  for  house-building  or  repairing,  or  for 
making  a  canoe  free  of  dues.  They  could  also  cut  bamboos 
for  their  fences  or  roofs  and  collect  firewood. 

These  privileges  were  restricted  to  natives,  and  were 
not  extended  to  Spaniards  or  Chinese.  The  taxes  paid 
by  the  natives  were  light  and  they  could  live  and  thrive. 

Had  these  wise  and  admirable  laws  been  carried  out  in 
the  spirit  in  which  they  were  made,  the  Philippines  might 
have  been  Spanish  to  this  day  and  the  natives  would  have 
had  little  to  complain  of 

The  Philippines  were  for  nearly  three  centuries  after 
their  discovery  by  the  Spaniards  a  mere  dependency  of 
Mexico,  communication  being  kept  up  by  an  annual  galleon 
or  sometimes  two  sailing  between  Acapulco  and  Manila 
through  the  Strait  of  San  Bernardino.  The  long  and 
tedious  voyage  deterred  all  but  priests  and  officials  from 
proceeding  to  the  Philippines. 

When  this  route  was  given  up,  which  happened  some 
ten  years  before  the  Independence  of  Mexico,  which  was 
proclaimed  in  1820,  communication  with  the  Peninsula  was 
by  sailing  vessels  via  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  That 
was  a  voyage  that  would  not  be  lightly  undertaken  either 
going  or  returning.  Spaniards  who  then  came  to  the 
Archipelago  often  stayed  there  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 

The  opening  of  the  Suez  Canal  in  1869  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  line  of  steamers  bringing  Manila  within  thirty 
days  of  Barcelona  was  the  most  important  event  in  the 
history  of  the  Philippines  since  the  conquest,  and  it  had 
the  gravest  consequences.  It  greatly  stimulated  the  trade 
of  the  Philippines,  but  it  enormously  increased  the  number 
of  Spaniards  in  the  Islands.  Hordes  of  hungry-looking 
Iberians  arrived  by  every  steamer  with  nominations  to 
posts  for  which  most  of  them  possessed  no  qualification. 
It  seemed  as  if  all  the  loafers  of  the  Puerta  del  Sol  and  the 
Calle  de  Alcala  were  to  be  dumped  in  the  Philippines  and 
fed  by  the  Treasury. 

Places  had  to  be  found  for  them,  and  a  bureaucratic 
administration  partly  copied  from  French  practice,  was 
rapidly  substituted  for  the  old  paternal  regime.  New 
departments  were  organised  or  the  old  ones  greatly  ex- 
tended. Far  more  money  was  spent  on  the  salaries  of 
engineers  and  assistant-engineers  than  on  public  works. 
The  salaries  of  the  officials  of  the  Woods  and  Forests  ex- 
ceeded the  revenue  derived  from  dues  on  timber  cut  in 


[Sff  p.  2S6. 


VICOLS    PREPARING     HEMP.— DRAWING    OUT    THE    FIBRE. 


n 


0.0  0(1.  J  19  o> 

3.'  CLASS.       j;       15'00j 


A  n        I  ?SO--?  PUEBLO  DE  <J=^ >^:^viv:5i'  . 'Xj. 

■  ,  '  •         ^y  \'^^•■ 

de, v^iz  'fJ^.ad....^ •  P!\jj'ijicia  it^....,.  .»Z.,<.L.:......«.t>-.'.i!?-• 
-dcr-^./  a}ir,.<  dc  vdad.  di' csiiid" /:  ^<'/  ■     y  projesioir  .„..':-. 

haOiiii    V  sc  lui^ 

.  tuipad'r-oiiado  en  csta^.(..  y/.  y///-.  // con  d  num.  .i'.r^..'". 

:  ^£^///^//7  d  ,r3'  dv^.y^^^i^^.: :Jc  iS^.  ^^^, 


■"■■    V  ^X--' 


i  To  Jacc  p.   53. 
REDUCED    FAC-SIMILE    OF    THE     DOCUMENT    OF    IDENTITY    OF    THE 
AUTHOR.    SHOWING    THE    AMOUNT    PAID    ANNUALLY    AS 
POUL-TAX,    S22.5a 


THE  ASIMILISTAS  53 

the  Crown  forests,  and  their  regulations  seriously  interfered 
with  the  privileges  of  the  natives  previously  mentioned, 
and  caused  great  discontent.  The  salaries  of  the  Inspectors 
of  Mines  were  almost  a  useless  expense,  for  there  was  no 
revenue  derived  from  mines,  in  fact  there  were  no  mines, 
only  placers  and  washings.  A  medical  service  was  organised 
at  great  cost  and  to  little  advantage.  Doctors  were  ap- 
pointed to  reside  at  the  hot  springs,  and  one  could  not 
take  a  bath  there  without  paying  a  fee.  Model  farms 
and  Schools  of  Agriculture  were  started,  to  find  places 
for  more  Spaniards,  for  the  officials  received  their  salaries, 
but  no  funds  were  forthcoming  for  material  or  establish- 
ment. 

In  1886  there  took  place  the  separation  of  the  executive 
and  the  judicial  functions,  and  eighteen  civil  governors 
were  appointed  to  the  principal  provinces.  Later  on, 
eighteen  judges  of  first  instance  were  nominated  to  these 
same  provinces.  After  centuries  of  rule,  the  Alcaldes 
Mayores  were  abolished. 

Then  came  a  period  when  certain  bureaucrats  in  Madrid 
conceived  what  they  thought  a  vast  and  patriotic  idea. 
They  founded  a  school  of  politicians  who  called  themselves 
Asimilistas.  Their  grand  idea  was  to  assimilate  the 
administration  of  the  Philippines  to  that  of  the  Mother 
Country.  They  thought  it  wise  to  assimilate  the  institu- 
tions of  a  tropical  dependency  with  eight  millions  of  native 
inhabitants,  of  whom  one-sixth  part  were  independent 
heathen  or  Mahometans,  to  the  gradually  evolved  institu- 
tions of  Old  Spain. 

By  way  of  a  commencement  they  began  to  speak  and 
write  of  the  Philippines  as  "that  beautiful  province  of 
Spain."  The  Philippine  army  had  always  been  distinct 
from  the  Peninsular  army,  but  now  by  a  paper  reform 
it  was  embodied  in  it,  and  the  regiments  were  re-numbered, 
the  1st  Visayas  Regiment  becoming  the  74th,  etc.  This 
was  considered  to  be  a  strong  link  to  bind  together  the 
Mother  Country  and  the  Colony. 

The  extra  expense  of  these  crowds  of  employes  and  of 
some  expeditions  to  Mindanao  and  J0I6  was  very  heavy, 
accordingly  every  year  saw  some  new  and  oppressive  tax. 
In  1883  the  "  Tributo,"  or  tribute  that  had  been  paid  by 
the  natives  since  the  conquest,  was  replaced  by  a  tax  on 
the  Cedula  Personal,  or  document  of  identity,  and  this  was 
paid    by   all    adults   of    both   sexes,    whether   Spaniards, 


54        THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

foreigners,  or  half-castes.     In  the  Appendix  will  be  found 
a  facsimile  of  my  cedula. 

The  Customs  duties  were  several  times  raised,  some- 
times without  much  notice.  A  tax  on  all  trades  and  pro- 
fessions, on  horses  and  carriages,  a  heavy  port  tax,  a 
vexatious  tax  on  all  animals  slaughtered,  even  down  to  a 
sucking  pig,  taxes  on  the  hand-looms  used  by  the  women 
in  their  spare  time,  taxes  on  sugar-mills,  rice-mills,  on  boats 
and  lighters,  and  on  houses  ;  all  these  and  many  more  were 
collected. 

There  were  also  serious  agrarian  disputes  between  the 
Dominicans,  the  Augustinians,  and  the  tenants  on  their 
estates,  owing  to  excessive  rents  demanded  by  the  friars. 
All  these  circumstances  brought  about  a  great  change 
in  the  relations  between  the  Spaniards  and  the  natives. 
Whereas  formerly  the  wealthy  native  kept  open  house 
on  feast  days,  and  received  with  pleasure  the  visits  of 
Spaniards,  generally  elderly  men  used  to  the  country  and 
speaking  the  language  of  the  people,  he  now  found  his 
house  invaded  by  a  crowd  of  young  officials  new  to  the 
country  and  its  ways,  who  fell  on  the  eatables  like  a  swarm 
of  famishing  locusts,  and  soon  devoured  the  turkeys  and 
hams  and  other  good  things  he  had  provided  to  entertain 
his  friends.  Besides,  his  women-folk  would  probably  not 
be  treated  by  the  new-comers  with  the  courtesy  and  con- 
sideration they  had  been  used  to. 

An  estrangement  gradually  made  itself  felt,  and  in- 
creaseO  year  by  year,  in  direct  proportion  to  the  influx  of 
Spaniards.  Not  one  in  a  hundred  of  these  did  any  useful 
-work  or  added  in  any  way  to  the  wealth  of  the  community. 
They  were  the  drones  of  the  hive,  and  were  in  fact  directly 
harmful,  for  they  had  to  be  supported  from  the  Treasury, 
and  they  irritated  the  natives  by  their  illegal  exactions 
and  overbearing  conduct  whenever  they  came  in  contact 
with  them. 

Still  year  after  year  passed  without  disturbances.  From 
1877  to  1892,  whilst  I  was  in  the  country,  I  can  testify  that 
almost  perfect  order  reigned.  The  fighting  in  Mindanao 
and  J0I6  went  on  as  a  matter  of  course  like  the  Acheen 
war  in  Sumatra,  and  an  expedition  was  sent  against  the 
Igorrotes.  But  in  the  civilised  districts  of  Luzon  and 
Visayas  good  order  was  kept.  The  only  outbreak  I  re- 
member was  the  religious  excitement  in  Samar,  which  closed 
when  the  false  gods  were  shot  down. 


REFORMS— NEW  CODES  55 

Crime  was  infrequent,  and  in  those  fourteen  years  I  do 
not  think  half-a-dozen  executions  took  place.  There  was 
less  risk  of  burglary  in  Manila  than  in  a  London  suburb. 
Whatever  their  faults  I  must  give  the  Spanish  Administra- 
tion credit  for  the  perfect  order  they  kept.  Manila,  in  this 
respect,  compared  favourably  with  Hong  Kong,  and  still 
better  with  Singapore,  where  the  authorities,  perhaps  re- 
membering the  fate  of  Governor  Eyre  of  Jamaica,  and  in 
terror  of  Exeter  Hall,  tolerated  the  incredible  insolence  of 
the  Chinese  secret  societies.  These  villainous  organisa- 
tions, which  in  Singapore  successfully  defied  the  law,  never 
raised  their  heads  in  Manila,  and  Rajah  Brooke  showed  how 
to  treat  them  in  Sarawak. 

In  pursuance  of  the  Asimilista  policy,  in  July  1887,  the 
Penal  Code  was  put  in  force  in  the  Philippines  by  peremp- 
tory order  from  the  Government  at  Madrid,  and  much 
against  the  opinion  of  experienced  officials.  In  December 
of  the  same  year  the  Civil  Code  was  promulgated. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  these  reforms,  however  well- 
intended,  produced  any  beneficial  effect  on  the  natives. 
Combined  with  the  great  increase  in  taxation,  they  inten- 
sified the  discontent  that  was  always  smouldering,  more 
especially  in  the  hearts  of  the  native  priests.  Their 
grievances  against  the  religious  orders,  and  more  particu- 
larly against  the  RecoUets,  who  had  been  compensated 
for  the  handing  over  of  their  benefices  in  Mindanao  to  the 
Jesuits,  at  the  expense  of  the  secular  clergy,  were  the 
cause  of  their  bitter  hatred  of  the  Spanish  friars. 

In  1883  Field-Marshal  Jovellar  had  thought  it  necessary 
to  strengthen  the  small  garrison  by  bringing  out  two 
battalions  of  Marine  Infantry.  However  it  was  not  till 
March  ist,  1888,  that  some  natives  and  mestizos,  em- 
boldened by  the  fact  that  an  anti-clerical,  D.  Jose  Centeno, 
a  mining  engineer,  was  Acting  Civil  Governor  of  Manila, 
walked  in  procession  to  his  official  residence  and  presented 
a  petition  addressed  to  the  Governor-General,  demanding 
the  immediate  expulsion  of  the  friars  of  the  religious  orders, 
and  of  the  Archbishop,  whom  they  declared  unworthy 
to  occupy  the  Primacy  of  the  Islands.  They  further 
demanded  the  secularisation  of  the  benefices  and  the 
confiscation  of  the  estates  of  the  Augustinians  and  the 
Dominicans. 

To  this  petition  there  were  810  signatures,  but  when 
the  signatories  were   summoned  and    examined,   most  of 


56        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

them  (as  is  their  custom)  declared  they  did  not  know  what 
they  had  signed,  and  denied  that  they  wished  the  friars  to 
be  expelled. 

The  petition  was  said  to  have  been  written  by  Doroteo 
Cortes,  a  mestizo  lawyer,  but  I  am  told  he  did  not  sign  it. 

This  manifestation,  sixteen  years  after  the  mutiny  at 
Cavite,  seems  to  have  had  some  relation  to  that  event,  for 
the  petition  accused  the  friars  of  compassing  the  death  of 
Father  Burgos,  by  subornation  of  justice. 

The  result  of  this  appeal  of  the  natives  was  that  the 
principal  persons  who  took  part  in  it  were  banished, 
or  sent  to  reside  at  undesirable  spots  within  the  Archi- 
pelago. 

There  were  some  agrarian  disturbances  at  Calamba  and 
Santa  Rosa,  one  of  the  estates  of  the  Dominicans,  in  1890. 

I  may  say  that  only  the  Augustinians,  the  Dominicans, 
and  the  Recollets  possess  landed  estates,  and  that  I  have 
had  the  opportunity  of  examining  several  of  them.  They 
are  all  situated  in  Tagal  territory,  and  as  they  are  the  pick 
of  the  lands,  their  possession  by  the  friars  has  caused  great 
heart-burnings  amongst  the  Tagals — there  has  been  a 
smouldering  agrarian  discontent  for  years. 


(    57    ) 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   RELIGIOUS  ORDERS. 

The  Augustinians — Their  glorious  founder — Austin  Friars  in  England 
— Scotland — Mexico — They  sail  with  Villalobos  for  the  Islands  of 
the  Setting  Sun — Their  disastrous  voyage- — Fray  Andres  Urdaneta 
and  his  companions — Foundation  of  Cebu  and  Manila  with  two 
hundred  and  forty  other  towns — Missions  to  Japan  and  China — 
The  Flora  Filipina — The  Franciscans — The  Jesuits — The  Do- 
minicans—The Recollets — Statistics  of  the  religious  orders  in 
the  islands — Turbulence  of  the  friars — Always  ready  to  fight  for 
their  countiy — Furnish  a  war  ship  and  command  it — Refuse  to 
exhibit  the  titles  of  their  estates  in  1689 — The  Augustinians  take  up 
arms  against  the  British — Ten  of  them  fall  on  the  field  of  battle 
— Their  rectories  sacked  and  burnt — Bravery  of  the  archbishop 
and  friars  in  1820 — Father  Ibahez  raises  a  battalion — Leads  it  to 
the  assault  of  a  Moro  Cotta — Execution  of  native  priests  in  1872 
— Small  garrison  in  the  islands — Influence  of  the  friars— Their 
behaviour — Herr  Jagor — Foreman — Worcester — Younghusband 
— Opinion  of  Pope  Clement  X. — Tennie  C.  Claflin — Equality  of 
opportunity — Statuesque  rigures  of  the  girls — The  author's  ex- 
perience of  the  Friars — The  Philippine  clergy — Who  shall  cast 
the  first  stone  ? — Constitution  of  the  orders — Life  of  a  friar — 
May  become  an  archbishop — The  chapter — -The  estates— The 
Peace  Commission — Pacification  retarded — Who  will  collect  the 
rents  ? 

Before  referring  further  to  these  estates  it  may  be  as  well 
to  give  a  brief  sketch  of  the  religious  orders,  whose  existence 
is  bound  up  with  the  history  of  the  Philippines,  to  the  con- 
version and  civilisation  of  which  they  have  so  largely 
contributed.  They  won  the  islands  for  Spain,  they  held 
them  for  centuries,  and  now,  having  served  their  purpose, 
they  have  lost  them,  doubtless  for  ever. 

The  Augustinians  were  the  pioneers  in  converting  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Philippines,  and  they  have  maintained 
their  predominance  ever  since. 

I  therefore  begin  my  description  with  this  venerable 
order,  and  it  will  be  proper  to  say  something  about  its 
glorious  founder. 


58        THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  follovviriiT  data  are  taken  from  the  '  Encyclopaedia 
Britannica'  and  other  sources. 

Augustine  (Aurclius  Aiigustinus)  one  of  the  four  great 
fathers  of  the  Latin  Church,  and  admittedly  the  greatest  of 
the  four,  was  born  at  Tagaste  (Tajelt),  a  town  of  Numidia, 
North  Africa,  A.D.  354.  His  father,  Patricius,  was  a  burgess 
of  this  town,  and  was  still  a  pagan  at  the  time  of  his  son's 
birth. 

His  mother,  M6nica,  was  not  only  a  Christian,  but  a 
woman  of  the  most  elevated,  tender,  and  devoted  piety, 
whose  affectionate  and  beautiful  enthusiasm  have  passed 
into  a  touching  type  of  womanly  saintliness  for  all  ages, 

Augustine  studied  rhetoric  at  Madaura  and  Carthage, 
and  visited  Rome  and  Milan. 

He  passed  many  years  in  unrest  of  mind  and  doubt, 
but  ultimately  a  passage  from  Romans  xii.  13,  14  seemed 
to  pour  the  light  of  peace  into  his  heart.  He  became 
a  Christian  and  was  baptised  in  his  thirty-third  year. 
Patricius  was  also  converted  and  baptised,  and  Monica 
found  the  desire  of  her  life  fulfilled  and  her  dear  ones 
united  to  her  in  faith. 

After  some  years  of  retirement,  Augustine  made  a 
journey  to  Hippo  Regius,  a  Roman  colony  on  the  River 
Rubricatus  in  North  Africa,  and  became  a  presbyter. 

His  principal  writings  are  'The  City  of  God,'  'Con- 
fessions,' and  '  The  Trinity.' 

He  died  during  the  siege  of  Hippo  by  the  Vandals  at 
the  age  of  75. 

The  theological  position  and  influence  of  Augustine 
may  be  said  to  be  unrivalled.  No  single  name  has  ever 
exercised  such  power  over  the  Christian  Church,  and  no 
one  mind  has  ever  made  such  an  impression  upon  Christian 
thought. 

The  Augustinians  look  upon  this  great  Christian  moralist 
as  their  founder,  and  reverence  his  memory  and  that  of  his 
saintly  mother. 

Whether  he  personally  drew  up  the  rules  they  observe 
or  not,  they  were  his  disciples,  following  in  his  foot- 
steps, and  finding  their  inspiration  in  his  writings  and 
example. 

Great  indeed  must  have  been  the  magnetic  force  of  that 
vehement  nature  that  it  could  give  an  impetus  to  his 
followers  that  carried  them  all  over  Europe,  that  made 
them  the  companions  of  the  discoverers  and  conquerors  of 


THE  RELIGIOUS   ORDERS  59 

the  New  World,  and  that  filled  their  hearts  with  zeal  and 
courage  to  face  the  dangers  of  the  great  lone  ocean  in 
company  with  Villalobos  and  Legaspi. 

The  Order  traces  its  inception  to  the  town  of  Hippo, 
and  fixes  the  date  at  A.D.  395.  Many,  doubtless,  were  its 
vicissitudes,  but  in  the  year  1061,  and  again  in  12 14,  we 
find  the  Order  remodelled  and  extended.  The  Augustinians 
were  very  numerous  in  England  and  Scotland.  In  1105 
they  had  settled  at  Colchester  and  at  Nostell,  near  Ponte- 
fract.  Later  they  had  abbeys  at  Bristol,  Llantony,  Christ- 
church,  Twynham,  Bolton  and  London,  where  part  of  their 
church  (Austin  Friars)  is  still  standing.  Altogether  they 
had  170  houses  in  England.  Their  first  house  in  Scotland 
was  at  Scone  in  1114,  and  they  soon  had  25  houses,  in- 
cluding churches  or  abbeys  at  Inchcolm  in  the  Firth  of 
Forth,  St.  Andrew's,  Holyrood,  Cambuskenneth  and 
Inchafifray. 

The  Austin  Friars  or  Black  Canons  were  then  described 
as  an  order  of  regular  clergy  holding  a  middle  position 
between  monks  and  secular  canons,  almost  resembling 
a  community  of  parish  priests  living  under  rule,  and  they 
have  retained  these  characteristics  to  the  present  day. 

They  were  numerous  in  Spain,  and  some  of  the  other 
Orders,  such  as  the  Dominicans  or  Preaching  Friars,  the 
Franciscans,  and  the  Recollets,  may  almost  be  looked  upon 
as  offshoots  of  this  venerable  order,  for  they  conformed  to 
its  general  rule,  with  certain  additions.  Thus  the  Domini- 
cans, founded  by  Saint  Dominic  de  Guzman,  were  incorpo- 
rated in  1216  by  a  Bull  of  Pope  Honorius  IIL  and  adopted 
a  rule  of  absolute  poverty  or  mendicancy  in  addition  to  the 
usual  vows  of  chastity  and  obedience. 

This  Order  held  its  first  chapter  in  1220  at  Bologna, 
under  the  presidency  of  its  founder. 

The  vows  of  poverty  of  this  powerful  Order  have  not 
prevented  it  from  holding  large  estates  in  the  Philippines, 
from  owning  blocks  of  buildings  in  Manila  and  Hong  Kong, 
and  from  having  a  huge  sum  invested  in  British  and 
American  securities.  These  however  belong  to  the  Cor- 
poration and  not  to  the  individual  members. 

From  Spain  the  Augustinians  spread  to  Mexico  and 
assisted  the  Franciscans,  who  were  the  pioneers  there  under 
Father  Bartolome  de  Olmedo  and  Father  Martin  de  Valencia, 
to  gather  in  the  abundant  harvest.  Father  Toribio  de 
Benavente  was  one  of  twelve  Franciscans  sent  out  in   1523, 


6o        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

and  he  has  left  records  of  the  success  of  these  missionaries. 
They  opened  schools  and  founded  colleges,  and  in  twenty- 
years  nine  millions  of  converts  had  been  admitted  into  the 
Christian  fold. 

By  this  time  Magellan  had  passed  the  narrow  straits, 
and  sailing  across  the  vast  solitudes  of  the  Pacific  had 
reached  the  Visayas  Islands  to  meet  his  fate,  and  Sebastian 
de  Elcano  had  completed  the  circumnavigation  of  the  globe 
and  had  arrived  in  Spain  with  accounts  of  the  new  lands 
which  the  expedition  had  discovered. 

When,  in  1 542,  Captain  Ruy  Lopez  de  Villalobos  sailed 
from  Natividad  (Mexico)  for  the  Islands  of  the  Setting  Sun, 
only  to  die  of  grief  at  Amboyna,  there  accompanied  him  a 
group  of  Augustinian  Friars.  After  the  loss  of  his  vessels 
the  survivors  took  ship  for  Goa  and  from  thence  returned 
to  Europe,  arriving  at  Lisbon  in  August  1 549,  seveji  years 
after  leaving  the  port  of  Natividad. 

The  Order  has  carefully  preserved  the  names  of  these 
early  missionaries  ;  they  are,  Frs.  Jeronimo  de  San 
Esteban,  Sebastian  de  Trasierra,  Nicolas  de  Perea,  Alonso 
Alvarado. 

In  the  expedition  under  General  Don  Miguel  Lopez 
de  Legaspi,  which  sailed  in  1564,  Fray  Andres  Urdaneta, 
an  Augustinian,  went  as  chief  navigator  and  cartographer, 
and  the  following  friars  accompanied  him :  Frs.  Andres 
de  Aiguirre,  Martin  de  Rada,  Diego  Herrero,  Pedro 
Gamboa. 

Since  founding  the  city  of  Cebii  in  1570,  and  the  city 
of  Manila  the  following  year,  the  Augustinians  have  con- 
tinued to  found  town  after  town,  and  down  to  1892 
had  founded  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  forty-two, 
administered  by  two  hundred  and  forty-seven  priests  of 
the  Order  as  by  the  following  table  : — 


Year  1892. 

Summary  of  Towns  founded  by  the  Augustinians. 

Handed  over  to  other  Orders      ....         28 
Amalgamated  with  other  towns  .  .  .  .         11 

Administered  by  Augustinians    ....       203 

Total      .         .         .242 

Population  of  the  above  203  towns,  2,082,181. 


THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  6 1 


The  Augustiniatis  in  the  Philippine  Islands. 

I  Parish  Priests i88 

Stewards 37 

Coadjutors 7 

Vicars  (learning  dialects).      ...  3 

Missionaries 12 

247 

■r,     •  J-       •     .1,            /Superiors  or  Office  bearers     ...  19 

'1"^ '?  M     T  Conventual  Priests 7 

vents   of   Manila,  r-*   a     ^  ,. 

^  V  ^       J  /-      1    '{Students 14 

Cebu,andGuada-K   ^^li^^ % 

vLay  Brethren 17 

—  _63 

Total 310 


lupe. 


In  former  years  this  Order  had  established  missions  in 
Japan,  and  they  were  very  successful  in  making  converts, 
but  during  the  persecution  many  members  of  the  Order  lost 
their  lives,  or,  as  they  phrase  it,  "attained  the  palm  of 
martyrdom." 

At  the  present  time  they  maintain  seven  missionaries 
in  the  province  of  Hun-nan  in  China.  In  Spain  they 
support  three  colleges,  Valladolid,  La  Vid,  and  La  Escorial. 
They  are  also  in  charge  of  the  magnificent  church  of  that 
extraordinary  palace,  and  of  the  priceless  library  of  which 
they  are  editing  a  catalogue. 

The  Augustinians  have  published  a  great  many  works, 
such  as  grammars  and  vocabularies  of  the  native  dialects, 
and  many  books  of  devotion. 

One  of  their  leading  men,  Father  Manuel  Blanco,  was  a 
most  learned  and  laborious  botanist.  He  collected  and 
classified  so  many  of  the  Philippine  plants  that  the  Order 
decided  to  complete  his  work  and  publish  it.  Fray  Andres 
Naves  and  Fray  Celestino  Fernandez  Villar,  both  well- 
known  to  me,  worked  for  years  at  this,  and  were  assisted 
by  my  illustrious  friend  H.  E.  Don  Sebastian  Vidal  Solcr 
and  others. 

The  result  is  a  most  sumptuous  and  magnificent  work — 
published  in  Manila — there  being  four  folio  volumes  enriched 
by  many  hundreds  of  coloured  plates  of  the  different  trees, 
shrubs,  orchids  and  lianas,  most  beautifully  executed  from 
water-colour  paintings  by  D.  Regino  Garcia  and  others. 
This  monumental  book  is  called  the  '  Flora  Filipina.'  It 
received  a  diploma  of  honour  at  the  International  Colonial 
Exhibition  of  Amsterdam  in  1883.     The  British  Museum 


62        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

possesses  a  copy,  but  unfortunately  most  of  the  work  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  the  bombardment  of  the  Convent  of 
Guadalupe  during  the  war. 

However,  the  widow  of  Seiior  Vidal,  now  Mrs.  Amilon 
of  Philadelphia,  still  has  some  copies  to  dispose  of 

I  hope  that  what  I  have  said  about  the  Augustinians  will 
show  that  they  are  not  the  lazy  and  unprofitable  persons 
they  are  sometimes  represented.  The  same  may  be  said 
of  the  Dominicans. 

The  Augustinians  were  followed,  after  an  interval  of 
seven  years,  by  the  Franciscans,  four  years  after  that  by  the 
Jesuits,  six  years  after  the  Jesuits  came  the  Dominicans. 

Last  of  all  came  the  Recollets,  or  bare-footed  Augus- 
tinians. 

The  following  Table  gives  the  numbers  of  friars  of  the 
five  religious  orders  in  the  Philippines,  at  the  dates  men 
tioned,  taken  from  their  own  returns.  The  first  column 
gives  the  dates  of  the  first  foundation  of  the  Order,  the 
second  the  date  of  its  arrival  in  the  Archipelago.  The 
other  columns  give  the  statistics  of  baptisms,  marriages  and 
deaths,  taken  from  the  parish  registers. 


Statement  of  the  Population  Administered  by  the  Re- 
ligious Corporations  and  Secular  Clergy  in  the  Philip- 
pines, 1896. 


M 
111 

I.  > 

g 

0 
0. 

c 

0 

c 
"> 
0 

ptisms. 
irriages. 

is 

3 

>feS 

>< 

U 

H 

f^ 

fa 

M         j        S 

CQ 

C/3 

395\ 
1061/ 

1570 

Augustinians. 

203 

16 

31098,731  120,35583,051 

2,082,131 

1532    1606 

Recollets 

194 

20     i92'56,259  '11, 43940, 0081, 175, 156 

1208    1577 

Franciscans  . 

153 

15     45538,858  !ii, 92735, 737|i>oio, 753 

1216    1587 

Dominicans  . 

69 

10     20027,576  I  7.307:32,33^     699,851 

1534 

iS8i 

Jesuits*   . 

33 

6     i67|is,302t   2,oi7;  4,937 

191,493 

Secular    \ 
Clergy/ 

Total      . 

. 

•• 

967,294 

1,330 

6,126,678 

*  Expelled  in  1768.     Readmitted,  1S52,  for  charge  of  schools  and  missions. 
•J-  Of  these  4102  were  baptisms  of  heathen  in  i8ij6. 

N.B. — The  population  of  the  Islands  according  to  the  census 

of  1877 5,995,160 

Probable  Christian  population,  1899.         ,         .         ,     8,000,000 


THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  63 

These  holy  men  have,  since  very  early  times,  shown 
themselves  rather  turbulent,  and  then  and  always  en- 
deavoured to  carry  matters  with  a  high  hand.  Thus  in 
1582  we  find  them  refusing  to  admit  the  diocesan  visit  of 
the  Bishop  of  Manila,  and  that  old  dispute  has  cropped  up 
on  and  off'  many  times  since  then.  At  the  same  time 
we  find  them  taking  the  part  of  the  natives  against  the 
Encomenderos.  They  have  always  been  ready  to  fight 
for  their  country  and  to  subscribe  money  for  its  defence. 
When  Acting  Governor  Guido  de  Lavezares  headed  the 
column  which  attacked  the  pirate  Li-ma-Hon,  he  was 
accompanied  by  the  Provincial  of  the  Augustinians.  In 
1603  all  the  friars  in  Manila  took  up  arms  against  the 
revolted  Chinese,  and  three  years  later  the  Augustinians 
not  only  furnished  a  war  ship  to  fight  the  Portuguese,  but 
provided  a  captain  for  it  in  the  person  of  one  of  their  Order, 
Fray  Antonio  Flores.  It  appears  that  the  estates  of  the 
Augustinians  and  the  Dominicans  were  very  early  a  bone  of 
contention,  for  in  1689  a  judge  arrived  in  Manila,  and,  in 
virtue  of  a  special  commission  he  had  brought  from  Madrid, 
he  required  them  to  present  their  titles.  This  they  refused 
to  do,  and  the  judge  was  sent  back  to  Mexico,  and  a  friend 
of  the  friars  was  appointed  as  Commissioner  in  his  place. 
Then  the  friars  condescended  to  unofficially  exhibit  their 
titles.  Now  more  than  two  centuries  after  the  first  abortive 
attempt,  the  question  of  the  ownership  of  these  lands  is 
still  under  discussion. 

During  the  British  occupation  of  Manila  in  1763  the 
friars  took  up  arms  in  defence  of  their  flag,  and  gave  their 
church  bells  to  be  cast  into  cannon.  No  less  than  ten 
Augustinians  fell  on  the  field  of  battle.  The  British  treated 
them  with  great  severity,  sacking  and  destroying  their 
rectories  and  estate  houses,  and  selling  everything  of  theirs 
they  could  lay  hands  on.  I  have  visited  the  ruins  of 
the  old  estate  house  of  Malinta  which  was  burnt  by  the 
British. 

In  1820,  when  the  massacre  of  foreigners  by  the  Manila 
mob  took  place,  owing  the  cowardice  of  General  Folgueras, 
the  archbishop  and  friars  marched  out  in  procession  to  the 
scene  of  the  disturbance  and  succeeded  in  saving  many 
lives.  In  185 1  a  Recollet,  Father  Ibafiez,  raised  a  battalion 
from  his  congregation,  trained  and  commanded  it.  He  took 
the  field  at  Mindanao  and  with  the  most  undaunted  bravery 
led  his  men  to  the  assault  of  a  Moro  Cotta,  or  fort,  dying 


6[       THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


like  our  General  Wolfe  at  the  moment  of  victory.  Not  one 
man  of  this  battalion  ever  deserted  or  hunj^  back  from  the 
combats,  for  the  worthy  priest  had  all  their  wives  under 
a  solemn  vow  never  to  receive  them  again  unless  they 
returned  victorious  from  the  campaign. 

The  religious  orders  have  frequently  interfered  to 
protect  the  natives  against  the  civil  authorities,  and  were 
often  on  very  good  terms  with  the  mass  of  their  parish- 
ioners. The  greatest  jealousy  of  them  was  felt  by  the 
native  clergy. 

The  military  revolt  which  broke  out  in  Cavite  in  1872, 
was  doubtless  inspired  by  this  class,  who  saw  that  a  policy 
had  been  adopted  of  filling  vacancies  in  all  benefices 
except  the  poorest,  with  Spanish  friars  instead  of  natives. 
The  condemnation  of  Burgos,  Gomez,  and  Zamora,  three 
native  priests  who  were  executed  at  Manila  soon  after  the 
suppression  of  the  revolt,  is  ascribed  by  the  natives 
and  mestizos  to  the  subornation  of  justice  to  the  friars, 
who  are  said  to  have  paid  a  large  sum  for  their  con- 
demnation. 

However  this  may  be,  there  is  no  doubt  that  since  that 
date  the  feeling  against  the  friars  has  become  intensified. 

The  friars  were  the  chief  outposts  and  even  bulwarks  of 
the  government  against  rebellions.  Almost  every  rising 
has  been  detected  by  them,  many  plots  being  revealed 
by  women  under  the  seal  of  confession.  It  was  only  by 
the  assistance  of  the  friars  that  the  islands  were  held  by 
Spain  for  so  many  centuries  almost  without  any  military 
force. 

The  islands  were  not  conquered  by  force  of  arms — the 
people  were  converted  almost  without  firing  a  shot. 

The  greater  part  of  the  fighting  was  to  protect  the 
natives  against  Chinese  pirates,  Japanese  corsairs,  Dutch 
rovers,  or  the  predatory  heathen. 

The  defensive  forces  consisted  of  local  troops  and  com- 
panies of  Mexican  and  Peruvian  Infantry.  It  is  only  since 
1828  that  Manila  has  been  garrisoned  by  regular  troops 
from  the  Peninsula. 

During  my  residence  in  the  islands  I  do  not  think  there 
were  more  than  1500  Spanish  troops  in  garrison  in  the 
whole  islands,  except  when  some  marines  were  sent  out. 
These  troops  belonged  to  the  Peninsular  Regiment  of 
Artillery,  and  were  a  veiy  fine  looking  set  of  men. 

That  this  small  force  could  be  sufficient   is  evidently 


THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  65 

due  to  the  influence  of  the  friars  in  keeping  the  people 
quiet. 

Yet  the  feeling  of  a  great  majority  of  Spanish  civilians 
was  against  the  friars,  and  I  think  many  of  those  who  sup- 
ported them,  only  did  so  from  interested  motives. 

The  consequence  was  that  as  the  number  of  Spaniards 
increased,  the  influence  of  the  friars  diminished,  for  the 
Spanish  anti-clericals  had  no  scruples  in  criticising  the 
priests  and  in  speaking  plainly  to  the  natives  to  their 
prejudice. 

The  friars  have  fared  badly  at  the  hands  of  several 
writers  on  the  Philippines  ;  but  it  will  be  noticed  that  those 
who  know  the  least  about  them  speak  the  worst  of  them. 

Herr  Jagor,  who  was  much  amongst  them,  bears  witness 
to  the  strict  decorum  of  their  households,  whilst  he  very 
justly  says  that  the  behaviour  of  the  native  clergy  leaves 
something  to  be  desired. 

Foreman  hints  at  horrors,  and  with  questionable  taste 
relates  how  he  found  amongst  a  priest's  baggage  some  very 
obscene  pictures. 

Worcester  thinks  the  priests'  influence  wholly  bad. 
From  what  he  states  in  his  book,  he  must  have  come  across 
some  very  bad  specimens  amongst  the  smaller  islands 
where  he  wandered. 

Younghusband,  who  perhaps  got  his  information  at  the 
bar  of  the  Manila  Club,  describes  them  as  "  monsters  of 
lechery." 

There  is  a  tradition  that  when  the  conclusions  of  a 
tribunal  favourable  to  the  canonisation  of  Santa  Rosa  de 
Lima,  Patroness  of  the  Indies,  were  laid  before  Pope 
Clement  X.,  that  Pontiff  manifested  his  incredulity  that 
a  tropical  climate  could  produce  a  saint.  He  is  even 
credited  with  the  saying  that  bananas  and  saints  are  not 
grown  together. 

The  tradition  may  be  erroneous,  but  there  is  something 
in  the  opinion  that  deserves  to  be  remembered. 

Temperature  does  have  something  to  do  with  sexual 
morality,  and  in  comparing  one  country  with  another  an 
allowance  must  be  made  for  the  height  of  the  thermometer. 

The  friars  in  the  Philippines  are  but  men,  and  men 
exposed  to  great  temptations.  We  should  remember  the 
tedium  of  life  in  a  provincial  town,  where,  perhaps,  the 
parish  priest  is  the  only  European,  and  is  surfeited  with 
the  conversation    of  his   native  curates,  of  the   half-caste 

F 


66       THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

apothecary  and  the  Chinese  store-keeper.     He  has  neither 
society  nor  amusement. 

I  have  previously  remarked  upon  the  position  of  women 
in  the  Philippines.  I  may  repeat  that  their  position,  both 
by  law  and  custom,  is  at  least  as  good  as  in  the  most 
advanced  countries. 

I  remember  reading  with  great  interest,  and,  perhaps, 
some  sympathy,  a  remarkable  article  in  the  New  York 
Herald,  of  January'  loth,  1894,  headed  "Virtue  Defined," 
signed  by  Tennie  C.  Claflin  (Lady  Cook),  and  it  seemed  to 
me  a  plea  for  "  equality  of  opportunity  "  between  the  sexes, 
if  I  may  borrow  the  phrase  from  diplomacy.  Well,  that 
equality  exists  in  the  Philippines.  Whilst  unmarried,  the 
girls  enjoy  great  freedom.  In  that  tolerant  land  a  little 
ante-nuptial  incontinence  is  not  an  unpardonable  crime  in  a 
girl  any  more  than  in  a  youth,  nor  does  it  bar  the  way  to 
marriage. 

The  girls  whilst  young  possess  exceedingly  statuesque 
iigures,  and  what  charms  they  have  are  nature's  own,  for 
they  owe  nothing  to  art.  Their  dress  is  modest,  yet  as 
they  do  not  wear  a  superfluity  of  garments,  at  times,  as 
when  bathing,  their  figures  are  revealed  to  view. 

Bearing  in  mind  the  above  condition  of  things  and  that  the 
priest  is  the  principal  man  in  the  town  and  able  to  do  many 
favours  to  his  friends,  it  is  not  surprising  if  some  of  the 
young  women,  impelled  by  the  desire  of  obtaining  his  good 
graces,  make  a  dead  set  at  him,  such  as  we  sometimes  see 
made  at  a  bachelor  curate  in  our  own  so-very-much-more 
frigid  and,  therefore,  moral  country.  The  priest,  should  he 
forget  his  vows  of  celibacy,  is  a  sinner,  and  deserving  of 
blame  for  failing  to  keep  the  high  standard  of  virtue  which 
his  Church  demands,  13ut  I  do  not  see  in  that  a  justifica- 
tion for  calling  him  a  monster.  Have  we  never  heard  of  a 
backslider  in  Brooklyn,  or  of  a  clerical  co-respondent  at 
home,  that  we  should  expect  perfection  in  the  Philippines  ? 
As  for  the  statements  that  the  priests  take  married  women 
by  force,  that  is  an  absurdity.  The  Tagals  are  not  men  to 
sufi"er  such  an  outrage. 

The  toleration  enjoyed  by  the  girls,  above  referred  to. 
is  a  heritage  from  heathen  times,  which  three  centuries  of 
Christianity  have  failed  to  extirpate.  In  fact,  this  is  a 
characteristic  of  the  Malay  race. 

During  the  many  years  I  was  in  the  islands  I  had 
frequent  occasion  to  avail  myself  of  the  hospitality  of  the 


THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  67 

priests  on  my  journeys.  This  was  usually  amongst  the 
Augustinians,  the  Dominicans  and  the  Recollets.  I  declare 
that  on  none  of  those  many  occasions  did  I  ever  witness 
anything  scandalous,  or  indecorous  in  their  convents,  and  I 
arrived  at  all  hours  and  without  notice. 

As  to  Younghusband's  denouncement  of  them  as  "  mon- 
sters of  lechery,"  I  would  say  that  they  were  notoriously 
the  most  healthy  and  the  longest-lived  people  in  the  islands, 
and  if  that  most  unjust  accusation  was  true,  this  could  hardly 
be  the  case.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  priest  of 
any  large  town  would  be  a  man  advanced  in  years  and 
therefore  less  likely  to  misconduct  himself. 

There  was  also  the  certainty  that  any  open  scandal 
would  be  followed  by  punishment  from  the  provincial  and 
council  of  the  order.  I  have  known  a  priest  to  be  practically 
banished  to  a  wretched  hamlet  amongst  savages  for  two 
years  for  causing  scandal. 

Some  late  writers  speak  of  the  native  clergy  as  if 
they  were  of  superior  morality  and  better  behaved  than 
the  Spanish  priests.  That  appreciation  docs  no  commend 
itself  to  those  who  have  had  some  experience  of  the  Philip- 
pine clergy. 

Some  of  those  I  have  known  were  of  very  relaxed 
morals,  not  to  say  scandalous  in  their  behaviour.  The  Philip- 
pine Islands,  in  short,  are  not  the  chosen  abode  of  chastity : 
but  I  do  not  know  why  the  Spanish  friars  should  be  singled 
out  for  special  censure  in  this  respect. 

I  can  truly  say  that  I  was  not  acquainted  with  any  class 
out  there  entitled  to  cast  the  first  stone. 

Each  of  the  orders  (except  the  Jesuits)  is  a  little  re- 
public governed  or  administered  by  officers  and  functionaries 
elected  by  the  suffrages  of  the  members.  The  head  of  the 
order  is  a  Superior  or  General,  who  resides  in  Rome,  but 
the  head  in  the  Philippines  is  called  the  Provincial. 

The  brethren  render  him  the  greatest  respect  and 
obedience,  kneeling  down  to  kiss  his  hand. 

There  is  a  council  to  assist  the  provincial,  they  are 
called  definidorcs  or  padres  graves,  the  exact  nomenclature 
varies  in  the  different  orders. 

There  is  a  Procurator  or  Commissary  in  Madrid,  a  Pro- 
curator-General in  Manila,  a  Prior  or  Guardian  to  each 
convent  not  being  a  rectory,  an  Orator  or  preacher,  lay- 
brethren  in  charge  of  estates  or  of  works,  parish  priests, 
missionaries,  and  coadjutors,  learning  the  native  dialects. 

F  2 


68       THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  members  of  the  order  were  appointed  to  benefices 
according  to  their  standing  and  popularity  amongst  their 
brethren.  The  neophytes  are  trained  in  one  of  the  semi- 
naries of  the  order  in  Spain  ;  for  instance,  the  Augustinians 
have  colleges  at  Valladolid,  La  Vid,  and  La  Escorial,  with 
more  than  300  students. 

When  a  young  priest  first  arrived  in  the  Philippines,  he 
was  sent  as  a  coadjutor  to  some  parish  priest  to  learn  the 
dialect  of  the  people  he  is  to  work  amongst.  Then  he 
would  be  appointed  a  missionary  to  the  heathen,  where  he 
lived  on  scanty  pay,  amongst  savages,  either  in  the  high- 
lands of  Luzon  or  in  some  remote  island,  remaining  there 
for  two  or  three  years.  His  first  promotion  would  be  to  a 
parish  consisting  of  a  village  of  thatched  houses  (nipa)  and, 
perhaps,  the  church  and  convent  would  be  of  the  same 
material.  This  meant  a  constant  and  imminent  dread  of 
the  almost  instantaneous  destruction  of  his  dwelling  by  fire. 
Perhaps  there  is  communication  with  Manila  once  a  month, 
when,  by  sending  to  the  nearest  port,  he  may  get  letters 
and  newspapers  and  receive  some  provisions,  an  occasional 
cask  of  Spanish  red  wine,  some  tins  of  chorizos  (Estremeiio 
smoked  sausages),  a  sack  of  garbanzos,  or  frij61es,  a  box  of 
turron  de  Alicante,  and  some  cigars  from  the  procuration  of 
the  convent  in  Manila.  These  would  be  charged  to  his 
account,  and  frugally  as  he  might  live,  many  a  year  might 
pass  over  his  head  before  he  would  be  out  of  debt  to  his 
Order.  And  poor  as  he  might  be,  he  would  never  refuse  his 
house  or  his  table  to  any  European  who  might  call  upon 
him.  Later  on,  if  his  conduct  had  satisfied  his  superiors, 
the  time  would  come  when  he  would  get  nominated  to  a 
more  accessible  and  more  profitable  parish,  that  would 
quickly  enable  him  to  pay  off  the  debt  due  to  the  procura- 
tion. He  would  have  a  church  and  convent  of  stone,  keep 
a  carriage  and  pair  of  ponies,  and  begin  to  have  a  surplus, 
and  to  contribute  a  little  to  the  funds  of  his  Order. 

Soon  he  would  become  Padre  Grave,  and  begin  to  have 
influence  with  his  colleagues.  He  would  be  removed  to  a 
richer  town  and  nominated  Vicario  Foraneo,  equivalent  to 
an  archdeacon  in  England,  Later  on,  he  might  be  elected 
a  Definidor,  or  councillor.  Then,  perhaps,  one  of  the  great 
prizes  of  the  order  fell  to  his  lot.  He  might  be  appointed 
parish  priest  of  Taal  or  Birlan,  worth  at  least  ten  thousand 
dollars  a  year,  or  of  rich  Lipa,  high  amongst  its  coffee 
groves  (now,  alas  !  withered),  which  used  to  be  worth  twenty 


THE  RELIGIOUS   ORDERS  69 

thousand  dollars  in  a  good  year.  He  would  treat  himself 
well,  and  liberally  entertain  all  who  visited  him,  and 
governors  of  provinces,  judges,  officers  of  the  Guardia  Civil, 
would  often  be  seen  at  his  table. 

He  would  make  large  contributions  to  the  funds  of  the 
Order,  with  the  surplus  revenue  of  his  parish. 

If,  however,  the  priest  whose  career  we  have  been 
following,  had  shown  sufficient  character  for  a  champion, 
and  had  become  popular  in  the  Order,  he  might,  perhaps,  be 
elected  Provincial,  and  then,  disposing  of  the  influence  of 
his  Order,  some  day  get  himself  made  a  Bishop  or  even 
Archbishop  of  IManila,  should  a  vacancy  occur,  and  so 
become  a  prince  of  the  Church. 

Whatever  talents  a  friar  had,  a  sphere  could  always  be 
found  for  their  exercise.  If  he  had  a  gift  for  preaching,  he 
could  be  appointed  Orator  of  the  Order.  If  he  was  good  at 
Latin  and  Greek,  he  could  be  made  a  professor  at  the  uni- 
versity. If  he  was  a  good  business  man,  he  could  be  chosen 
procurator.  If  he  had  diplomatic  talents  he  could  be  made 
commissary  of  the  order  at  Madrid.  In  any  case  he  was 
sure  to  be  taken  care  of  to  the  end  of  his  days. 

As  for  the  Orders  in  themselves,  I  have  already  said 
that,  excepting  the  Society  of  Jesus,  they  are  little  republics, 
and  that  office-holders  are  elected  by  the  votes  of  the 
members.  When  a  general  Chapter  of  the  Order  is  held  for 
this  purpose,  the  members  come  from  all  parts  and  assemble 
in  their  convent  in  Manila, 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  there  has  sometimes  been  so 
much  feeling  aroused  over  the  question  of  the  distribution 
of  the  loaves  and  fishes,  that  the  opposing  parties  have 
broken  up  the  chairs  and  benches  to  serve  as  clubs,  and 
furiously  attacked  each  other  in  the  battle  royal,  and  with 
deplorable  results. 

In  consequence  of  this,  when  the  chapter  or  general 
assembly  was  to  be  held,  the  governor-general  nominated 
a  royal  commissary,  often  a  colonel  in  the  army,  to  be 
present  at  these  meetings,  but  only  to  interfere  to  keep  the 
peace.  It  was  something  of  an  anomaly  to  see  a  son  of 
Mars  deputed  to  keep  the  peace  in  an  assembly  of  the 
clergy.  The  meeting  commenced  with  prayer,  then  one  by 
one  all  the  dignitaries  laid  down  their  offices  and  became 
private  members  of  the  Order,  so  that  at  the  end  of  this 
ceremony  every  one  was  absolutely  equal. 

Then   the  eldest   rose  and   solemnly  adjured  any  one 


70       THE  INHABirANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

present  who  held  a  Bull  of  the  Holy  Father,  to  produce  it 
then  and  there  under  pain  of  major  excommunication. 
Three  times  was  this  solemn  warning  delivered. 

It  owes  its  origin,  perhaps,  to  some  surprise  sprung  on 
a  brotherhood  in  former  days,  yet  it  is  to  be  noted  that  one 
of  the  privileges  of  their  Catholic  majesties  the  kings  of 
Spain  was,  that  no  Bull  should  run  in  their  dominions 
without  their  approval. 

Then  free  from  outside  interference,  and  all  present 
being  on  an  equal  footing  the  election  takes  place.  Amidst 
great  excitement  the  Provincial,  the  Procurator,  the  Orator, 
the  Definidores,  or  Councillors,  are  chosen  according  to  their 
popularity,  or  as  they  are  deemed  best  fitted  to  advance 
the  interests  of  the  voter  or  the  Order. 

The  selection  of  office-holders  is  a  matter  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  the  members,  as  those  in  power  distribute 
the  benefices  and  are  apt  to  be  more  alive  to  the  merits  of 
their  supporters,  than  to  the  pretensions  of  those  who  have 
voted  for  others. 

But,  however  divided  they  may  be  on  these  occasions, 
they  unite  against  any  outsider,  and  unless  the  question 
is  evidently  personal,  he  who  offends  a  member  finds  the 
Order  ranged  against  him,  and,  perhaps,  the  other  Orders 
also,  for  in  matters  affecting  their  interests  the  Orders  act 
in  unison,  and  as  has  been  said,  have  succeeded  in  removing 
not  only  governors  of  provinces,  but  governors-general 
also  when  these  have  failed  to  do  their  bidding-. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THEIR  ESTATES. 

Malinta  and  Piedad — Mandaloyan — San  Francisco  de  Malabon — 
Irrigation  works  —  Imus  —  Calamba  —  Cabuyao — Santa  Rosa — 
Biiian — San  Pedro  Tunasan — Naic — Santa  Cruz — Estates  a  bone 
of  contention  for  centuries — ^Principal  cause  of  revolt  of  Tagals — 
But  the  Peace  Commission  guarantee  the  Orders  in  possession — 
Pacification  retarded — -Summary — The  Orders  must  go  I — And  be 
replaced  by  natives. 

The  Augustinians  own  some  fine  estates  near  Manila.  In 
1877  I  visited  Malinta  and  Piedad,  which,  according  to  an 
old  plan  exhibited  to  me,  drawn  by  some  ancient  navigator, 
measured  over  14,000  acres  in  extent,  a  good  part  of  which 
was  cultivated  and  under  paddy  ;  still  a  large  expanse  was 
rocky,  and  grew  only  cogon  (elephant  grass).  The  lay- 
brother  in  charge,  Aureliano  Garcia,  confided  to  me  that  he 
went  about  in  fear,  and  expected  to  end  his  life  under  the 
bolos  of  the  tenants.  I  was  then  new  to  the  country, 
and  saw  no  signs  of  discontent.  I  afterwards  visited 
Mandaloyan,  another  estate  nearer  Manila.  This  was 
nearly  all  arable  land.  The  house  was  large  and  com- 
modious, and  was  used  as  a  convalescent  home  for  the 
friars.  I  have  not  a  note  of  the  extent  of  this  estate,  but 
it  occupies  a  great  part  of  the  space  between  the  rivers 
Maibonga  and  San  Juan,  to  the  north  of  the  Pasig.  The 
lay-brother  in  charge,  Julian  Ibeas,  did  not  seem  at  all 
anxious  about  his  safety.  The  land  here  was  more  fertile 
than  that  of  Malinta,  and  there  was  water  carriage  to  a 
market  for  the  crops. 

In  view  of  my  report,  which  was  not,  however,  unduly 
optimistic,  my  clients  deputed  me  to  ask  the  Augustinians 
for  a  lease  of  the  above  three  estates  for  twenty-five  years, 
the  rent  to  be  $40,000  *  per  year  for  three  years,  and  each 
year  after  that  an  addition  of  a  thousand  dollars,  so  that 

*  Exchange  was  then  at  ^-r.  2d. 


72        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  ultimate  rent  would  be  $62,000  per  annum.  However, 
after  taking  some  time  to  consider,  the  procurator  declined 
the  offer. 

On  the  above  estates  there  was  little  or  nothing  done 
by  the  owners  to  improve  the  land.  They  had  limited 
themselves  to  building  large  and  convenient  houses  and 
granaries  for  their  own  accommodation,  and  to  entertain 
their  friends. 

In  1884  I  constructed  a  pumping  station  on  the  River 
Tuliajan  in  this  estate,  and  laid  a  pipe  line  right  through 
the  property  to  supply  fresh  water  to  the  sugar  refinery  at 
Malabon,  five  miles  distant.  I  had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining 
permission,  indeed.  Fray  Arsenio  Campo  (now  Bishop  of 
Nueva  Caceres)  facilitated  the  work  in  every  way.  The 
only  protest  was  by  Doroteo  Cortes,  a  half-caste  lawyer, 
who  interposed  as  the  pipe  had  to  pass  between  two  fish- 
ponds belonging  to  him,  and  he  extorted  a  blackmail  $800 
to  withdraw  his  opposition.  Let  the  reader  contrast  the 
behaviour  of  the  Spaniard  and  the  half-caste,  now  posing 
as  an  "  Americanista." 

San  Francisco  de  Malabon,  another  possession  of  theirs, 
is  a  magnificent  property,  situated  on  the  fertile,  well- 
watered  land  that  slopes  from  the  summits  of  the  Tagay- 
tay  range,  north  of  the  vast  crater-lake  of  Bombon,  to  the 
shores  of  the  ever-famous  Bay  of  Bacoor,  the  scene  of 
Spain's  naval  collapse. 

Through  the  volcanic  soil  three  rivers,  the  Ilang-ilang, 
the  Camanchi'le,  and  the  Jalan,  have  cut  deep  gashes  down 
to  the  bed-rock,  on  the  surface  of  which  the  rapid  waters 
rush  downwards  to  the  sea. 

A  nobly-proportioned  house  of  stone,  almost  a  fortress, 
was  planted  where  it  commanded  a  grand,  a  stately  view. 
From  its  windows  the  spectator  looked  over  fields  of  waving 
grain,  over  fruit  trees,  and  town  and  hamlets,  down  to  the 
sea  shore,  and  across  the  vast  expanse  of  placid  bay  to 
where  in  the  far  north  solitaiy  Arayat  rears  his  head.  The 
thick  walls  and  lofty  roof  excluded  the  solar  heat,  and  the 
green-painted  Venetians  saved  the  inmate  from  the  glare. 
Very  welcome  was  that  hostel,  furnished  in  severe  ecclesi- 
astical almost  mediaeval  style,  to  me,  after  the  dusty  up-hill 
drive  of  eight  miles  from  Cavite. 

I  visited  this  estate  in  1879,  and  found  that  extensive 
irrigation  works  had  been  carried  out.  A  new  dam  on  one 
of  the  rivers,  about  fifty  feet  high,  was  approaching  com- 


ESTATES   OF  RELIGIOUS   ORDERS  73 

pletion.  Unfortunately,  the  work  had  been  executed  by  a 
lay-brother,  a  stone  mason,  without  professional  supervision. 
He  was  ignorant  of  the  necessity  of  taking  special  pre- 
cautions when  preparing  the  seat  for  the  dam.  Although 
he  had  a  bed  of  volcanic  tuff  to  build  upon  he  would  not 
go  to  the  trouble  to  cut  into  and  stop  all  faults  and  crevices 
in  the  rock  before  laying  his  first  course  of  masonry,  and  he 
hurried  on  the  job  to  save  expense  as  he  supposed.  For 
the  same  reason  he  did  not  attempt  to  follow  the  correct 
profile  of  the  dam.  When  the  pressure  came  on,  the  water 
spouted  up  in  little  fountains,  and  gradually  increased  as  it 
cut  away  the  soft  stone.  I  advised  them  what  to  do,  and 
after  a  good  deal  of  work,  Portland  cement  and  puddled 
clay  got  them  out  of  their  difficulty. 

About  four  miles  to  the  eastward  of  San  Francisco  de 
Malabon,  and  on  the  same  volcanic  soil,  is  the  great  estate 
of  Imus  belonging  to  the  Recollets,  or  unshod  Augustinians. 
It  is  about  five  miles  from  the  landing-place  at  Bacoor. 
Here  again  three  rivers  run  through  the  property,  and  the 
view  from  the  house  is  the  same. 

The  house  itself  was  a  grim  fortress  and  served  the 
rebels  well  in  1896,  for  they  found  arms  and  ammunition  in 
it,  and  successfully  defended  it  against  General  Aiguirre 
who  had  to  retire,  being  unable  to  take  it  without  artillery. 

In  1897  the  army  of  General  Lachambre  advanced 
against  Imus,  and  on  the  24th  March  took  the  outer 
defences  of  the  town,  notwithstanding  the  determined 
resistance  of  the  Tagals,  of  whom  three  hundred  were 
killed  in  a  hand-to-hand  combat.  Next  day  the  estate 
house,  which  adjoins  the  town  and  had  been  for  six  months 
the  stronghold  of  the  Katipunan,  was  bombarded  and  burnt, 
only  the  ruins  remain. 

There  are  extensive  works  of  irrigation  at  this  place 
also,  and  formerly  a  large  sugar  works  was  built  here  by 
the  owners,  but  it  failed,  as  there  was  no  one  fit  to  take 
charge  of  it. 

I  have  not  visited  this  Hacienda,  and  cannot  give  its 
extent  or  value. 

Of  all  the  Orders  the  greatest  land-owners  are  the 
Dominicans.  They  have  vast  estates  in  Calamba,  Cabuydo, 
Santa  Rosa,  Binan,  and  San  Pedro  Tunasan,  all  on  the 
Lake  of  Bay,  also  at  Naic  and  Santa  Cruz  on  the  Bay  of 
Manila.  I  have  several  times  visited  their  estates  at  the 
first  two  places,  and  can  affirm  that  they  have  expended 


74       THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

considerable  sums  in  building  dams  for  irrigating  the  lands, 
and  I  supplied  them  with  some  very  large  cast-iron  pipes 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  syphon  across  a  ravine  or 
narrow  valley  to  convey  water  for  irrigating  the  opposite 
plain.  They  have  consequently  very  largely  increased  the 
value  of  these  lands. 

The  house  at  Calamba,  solidly  built  of  stone,  with  a 
strong  and  high  encircling  wall,  served  as  a  fortified  camp 
and  headquarters  for  the  Spanish  army  in  operation  against 
the  rebels  in  1897. 

This  estate  of  Calamba  has  earned  a  sad  notoriety  in 
the  Philippines,  for  the  disputes  which  constantly  arose 
between  the  administration  and  their  tenants. 

It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  the  possession  of 
estates  has  been  fatal  to  the  Orders.  They  claim  to  have 
always  been  good  and  indulgent  landlords,  but  the  fact 
remains  that  all  these  estates  are  in  Tagal  territory,  that 
only  the  Tagals  revolted,  and  that  the  revolt  was  directed 
against  the  Orders  because  of  their  tyranny  and  extortions, 
and  because  they  were  landlords  and  rack  renters. 

It  was,  is  now,  and  ever  will  be  an  Agrarian  question 
that  will  continue  to  give  trouble  and  be  the  cause  of  crime 
and  outrage  until  settled  in  a  broad-minded  and  statesman- 
like manner. 

These  estates  have  been  a  bone  of  contention  for 
centuries,  and  were  a  principal  cause  of  the  last  revolt 
of  the  Tagals.  Yet  the  Peace  Commission  at  Paris  appears 
to  have  given  the  three  Orders  a  new  title  to  their  disputed 
possessions  by  guaranteeing  to  the  Church  the  enjoyment 
of  its  property,  which,  if  the  Spaniards  had  continued  to 
rule  the  islands,  must  ultimately  have  been  taken  from  it 
in  the  natural  course  of  events,  as  has  happened  in  every 
other  Catholic  country. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  the  pacification  of  the  Philippines 
by  the  American  forces  has  been  greatly  retarded,  and  is 
now  rendered  more  difificult,  by  this  clause,  which  must 
have  been  accepted  by  the  American  commissioners  under 
a  misapprehension  of  its  import,  and  from  imperfect  in- 
formation as  to  the  status  quo.  This  difificult  matter  can 
still  be  arranged,  but  it  will  require  the  outlay  of  a  con- 
siderable sum  of  money,  which,  however,  would  eventually 
be  recouped. 

In  present  circumstances  I  venture  to  say  that  a  garrison 
would  be  needed  at  each  estate  to  protect  an  administrator 


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ESTATES   OF  RELIGIOUS   ORDERS  75 

or  collector,  for  the  Tagal  tenants  are  as  averse  to  paying 
rent  for  land  as  any  bog-trotter  in  Tipperary.  I  do  not 
envy  anybody  who  purchases  these  estates,  nor  would  I 
consider  the  life  of  such  a  one  a  good  risk  for  an  insurance 
company,  if  he  intended  to  press  the  tenants  for  rents  or 
arrears. 

To  sum  up  the  Religious  Orders,  they  were  hardy  and 
adventurous  pioneers  of  Christianity,  and  in  the  evangelisa- 
tion of  the  Philippines,  by  persuasion  and  teaching,  they 
did  more  for  Christianity  and  civilisation  than  any  other 
missionaries  of  modern  times. 

Of  undaunted  courage  they  have  ever  been  to  the  front 
when  calamities  threatened  their  flocks  ;  they  have  witnessed 
and  recorded  some  of  the  most  dreadful  convulsions  of 
nature,  volcanic  eruptions,  earthquakes,  and  destructive 
typhoons.  In  epidemics  of  plague  and  cholera  they  have 
not  been  dismayed,  nor  have  they  ever  in  such  cases 
abandoned  their  flocks. 

When  an  enemy  has  attacked  the  islands  they  have 
been  the  first  to  face  the  shot.  Only  fervent  faith  could 
enable  these  men  to  endure  the  hardships,  and  overcome 
the  dangers  that  encompassed  them. 

They  have  done  much  for  education,  having  founded 
schools  for  both  sexes,  training  colleges  for  teachers,  the 
university  of  St.  Thomas  in  Manila,  and  other  institutions. 

Hospitals  and  asylums  attest  their  charity.  They  were 
formerly,  and  even  lately,  the  protectors  of  the  poor  against 
the  rich,  and  of  the  native  against  the  Spaniard.  They 
have  consistently  resisted  the  enslavement  of  the  natives. 

They  restrained  the  constant  inclination  of  the  natives 
to  wander  away  into  the  woods  and  return  to  primitive 
savagery  by  keeping  them  in  the  towns,  or,  as  they  said, 
"  Under  the  bells." 

On  the  other  hand,  peace  and  plenty  (those  blessings 
for  which  we  pray),  have  corrupted  and  demoralised  the 
Orders.  No  longer  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  called 
upon  to  fight  for  their  lives,  the  sterner  virtues  have  de- 
cayed. Increased  production  and  export  enriched  the 
people,  a  gold  coinage  was  introduced,  and  the  friars 
allowed  avarice  to  possess  their  souls. 

In  those  lands  of  perpetual  summer  no  death  duties 
have  to  be  paid  to  a  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  as  in 
this  island  of  fog  and  mist. 

But  the  friars  have  a  system  of  charges  for  performing 


76       THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  funeral  ceremonies,  which  comes  to  much  the  same  in 
the  end.  I  call  it  a  system  ;  it  is  a  very  simple  system, 
and  consists  in  extorting  as  much  as  they  can  get,  taking 
into  consideration  the  wealth  of  the  family.  To  give  an 
instance,  I  have  been  assured  by  a  son  of  Capitan  Natalio 
Lopez,  of  Balayan,  a  native  gentleman  well  known  to  me, 
that  the  parish  priest  charged  the  family  six  hundred 
dollars  for  performing  their  father's  funeral  ceremony. 
The  same  rule  applies  to  baptisms  and  marriages,  and  this 
abuse  calls  for  redress,  and  for  the  establishment  of  fixed 
fees  according  to  the  position  of  the  parties. 

Each  friar,  as  a  parish  priest,  was  an  outpost  of  the 
central  government,  watching  for  symptoms  of  revolt. 
Only  thus  could  the  Spaniards  hold  the  archipelago  with 
fifteen  hundred  Peninsular  troops,  and  a  small  squadron 
of  warships. 

The  greatest,  and  the  best-founded,  complaint  of  the 
natives  against  the  priests,  was  that  whoever  displeased 
them,  either  in  personal  or  money  matters,  was  liable  to  be 
denounced  to  the  authorities  as  a  filibuster,  and  to  be  torn 
from  home  and  family  and  deported  to  some  distant  and 
probably  unhealthy  spot,  there  to  reside,  at  his  own  cost, 
for  an  indefinite  time,  by  arbitrary  authority,  without 
process  of  law.  Such  a  punishment,  euphoniously  termed 
"  forced  residence,"  sometimes  involved  the  death  of  the 
exile,  and  always  caused  heavy  expense,  as  a  pardon  could 
not  be  obtained  without  bribing  some  one. 

Ysabelo  de  los  Reyes,  and  other  natives,  accuse  the 
friars  of  extorting  evidence  from  suspected  persons  by 
torture.  I  fear  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  many  victims, 
including  a  number  of  the  native  clerics,  suffered  flagella- 
tion and  other  tortures  at  the  hands  of  the  friars  for  the 
above  purpose.  The  convents  of  Nueva-Caceres  and  of 
Vigan,  amongst  other  places,  were  the  scenes  of  these 
abominable  practices,  and  Augustinians,  Dominicans  and 
Franciscans,  have  taken  part  in  them.  This  is  referred 
to  at  greater  length  in  another  part  of  this  work  under  the 
heading,  "The  Insurrection  of  1896." 

Individual  friars  were  sometimes,  nay,  often,  very 
worthy  parish  priests.  I  have  known  many  such.  But  a 
community  is  often  worse  than  the  individuals  of  which  it 
is  composed.  One  might  say  with  the  Italian  musician 
who  had  served  for  many  years  in  a  cathedral,  and  had 
obtained  the  promise  of  every  individual  canon  to  support 


RELIGIOUS   ORDERS  AN  ANACHRONISM  -jj 

his  application  for  a  pension,  when  he  was  told  that  the 
chapter  had  unanimously  refused  his  request : 
"  The  canons  are  good,  but  the  chapter  is  bad." 

A  board  will  jointly  do  a  meaner  action  than  the 
shadiest  director  amongst  them,  and  should  it  comprise 
one  or  two  members  of  obtrusive  piety,  that  circumstance 
enables  it  to  disregard  the  ordinary  standard  of  right  and 
wrong  with  more  assurance. 

There  is  a  law  in  metallurgy  which  has  a  curious 
analogy  to  this  law  of  human  nature.  It  is  this  :  An  alloy 
composed  of  several  metals  of  different  melting-points,  will 
fuse  at  a  lower  temperature  than  that  of  its  lowest  fusing 
constituent. 

The  Orders,  then,  have  been  of  the  greatest  service  in 
the  past ;  they  have  brought  the  Philippines  and  their 
inhabitants  to  a  certain  pitch  of  civilisation,  and  credit  is 
due  to  them  for  this  much,  even  if  they  could  go  no  farther. 
For  years  their  influence  over  the  natives  has  been  de- 
creasing, and  year  by  year  the  natives  have  become  more 
and  miore  antagonistic  to  priestly  rule. 

A  considerable  intellectual  development  has  taken  place 
of  late  years  in  the  Philippines.  The  natives  are  no  longer 
content  to  continue  upon  the  old  lines  ;  they  aspire  to  a 
freer  life.  Many  even  harbour  a  sentiment  of  nationality 
such  as  was  never  thought  of  before. 

But  if  the  Orders  had  lost  ground  with  the  natives  and 
with  many  Spaniards,  their  influence  still  preponderated. 
Owners  of  vast  estates,  possessors  of  fabulous  riches,  armed 
with  spiritual  authority,  knowing  the  secrets  of  every 
family,  holding  the  venal  courts  of  justice  as  in  the  hollow 
of  their  hand,  dominating  the  local  government,  standing 
above  the  law,  and  purchasing  the  downfall  of  their  enemies 
from  the  corrupt  ministries  in  Madrid,  these  giant  trusts, 
jealous  of  each  other,  yet  standing  firmly  shoulder  to 
shoulder  in  the  common  cause,  constitute  a  barrier  to 
progress  that  can  have  no  place  nor  use  under  an  American 
Protectorate.  They  are  an  anachronism  in  the  twentieth 
century,  and  they  must  disappear  as  corporations  from  the 
Philippines. 

They  should  not,  however,  be  buried  under  an  avalanche 
of  contumely  and  slander ;  their  long  and  glorious  past 
should  be  remembered,  and  in  winding  up  their  estates 
due  regard  should  be  paid  to  the  interests  of  every  member, 
I  cannot  here  intimate  how  this  is  to  be  done,  for  it  is  an 


78        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


intricate  subject,  rendered  more  complex  by  the  reluctance 
of  the  American  Government  to  interfere  in  religious 
matters,  even  though  they  are  so  bound  up  with  the 
politics  of  the  Philippines  that  no  pacification  can  be 
effected  without  following  popular  sentiment  upon  this 
point. 

So  far  as  the  landed  estates  are  concerned,  the  settle- 
ment could  be  arrived  at  by  a  commission  with  ample 
powers.  In  the  meantime,  no  sale  of  these  estates  should 
be  recognised. 

The  benefices  held  by  the  friars  should  be  gradually 
bestowed  upon  the  secular  clergy,  as  suitable  men  can  be 
found.  The  native  clergy  have  always  been  badly  used  by 
the  friars  ;  they  have  had  to  suffer  abuse  and  ignominious 
treatment.  They  have  not  been  in  a  position  to  develop 
their  dignity  and  self-respect. 

I  have  spoken  of  them  in  general  as  leaving  something 
to  be  desired  as  to  decorous  conduct,  but  they  will  doubt- 
less improve  when  placed  in  positions  of  consideration  and 
responsibility. 

Amongst  them  are  men  of  considerable  learning  ;  some 
have  passed  brilliant  examinations  in  theology  and  canon 
law. 

As  regards  piety,  Malays,  whether  heathen,  Mahometan 
or  Christian,  take  their  religion  lightly,  and  we  must  not 
expect  too  much.  I  daresay  they  are  pious  enough  for 
the  country  and  the  climate. 


(     79    ) 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SECRET  SOCIETIES.  ' 

Jvlasonic  Lodges  —  Execution  or  exile  of  Masons  in  1872  —  The 
"Associacion  Hispano  Filipina" — The  "  Liga  Filipina" — The 
Katipuuan — Its  programme. 

Fray  Eduardo  Navarro,  Procurator  of  the  Augustinians, 
and  Ysabelo  de  los  Reyes,  an  Ilocano,  and  author  of  some 
notable  works,  agree  that  the  first  masonic  lodge  of  the 
Philippines  was  founded  in  Cavite  about  i860.  The  latter 
states  that  Malcampo  and  Mendez-Nuiiez,  two  distinguished 
naval  officers,  were  the  founders.  Soon  after  this,  another 
lodge  was  founded  in  Zamboanga,  also  under  naval 
auspices.  After  1868,  a  lodge  was  founded  in  Manila  by- 
foreigners,  a  wealthy  Filipino  being  secretary.  Another 
lodge  was  founded  in  Pandakan,  another  in  Cebu,  and  still 
another  in  Cavite,  to  which  Crisanto  Reyes  and  Maximo 
Inocencio  belonged. 

These  lodges  at  first  had  only  Peninsular  Spaniards 
or  other  Europeans  as  members,  but  gradually  Creoles, 
Mestizos,  and  natives,  joined  the  brotherhood,  and  sub- 
scribed liberally  to  its  funds. 

The  Catholic  clergy  have  always  looked  upon  Masons 
as  most  dangerous  enemies,  and  many  pontiffs  have  launched 
their  anathemas  against  the  brotherhood.  But,  so  far  as 
one  can  see,  to  quote  from  '  The  Jackdaw  of  Rheims,'  "  No 
one  seemed  a  penny  the  worse." 

Masonry  grows  and  flourishes  in  spite  of  them  all.  To 
give  an  example.  Many  years  ago,  in  the  very  Catholic 
city  of  Lima,  I  attended  the  civil  funeral  of  a  priest,  the 
learned  Doctor  Don  Francisco  de  Paula  Gonzales  Vigil, 
who  died  excommunicate.  Twelve  thousand  men,  including 
the  Masons  with  their  insignia,  deputations  from  the  Senate 
and  Chamber,  from  the  Municipality,  Army,  Navy,  and 
other  bodies,  formed  the  funeral  cortege.     The  Municipality 


8o       THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

presented  a  tomb  in  the  public  cemetery,  which  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  the  world,  and  an  orator  pronounced  an  im- 
passioned eulogy  upon  the  virtues  and  patriotism  of  the 
deceased.  It  was  a  wonderful  manifestation,  and  remains 
graven  upon  my  memory.  On  that  day  every  priest  and 
friar  found  something  to  occupy  himself  with  at  home. 
Whatever  may  be  the  case  in  Great  Britain  or  in  the 
United  States,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  Catholic 
countries  the  lodges  are  antagonistic  to  the  clergy  and  the 
Church. 

The  lodges  in  the  Philippines  were  founded  by  anti- 
clerical Spaniards  of  liberal  views,  and  the  Creoles,  Mestizos 
and  natives  who  joined  them  found  brethren  disposed  to 
sympathise  with  them  and  to  work  with  them  against  the 
friars.  There  was  no  idea  of  revolting  against  the  mother 
country,  but  rather  to  introduce  a  more  liberal  government, 
with  representation  for  the  civilised  provinces  in  the  Spanish 
C6rtes.  It  must  be  remembered  that  this  representation 
had  already  existed,  and  only  required  to  be  revived.  There 
had  been  deputies  to  the  C6rtes-Generales  from  1810  to 
1814,  and  from  1820  to  1823,  and  Procuradores  from  1834 
to  1837. 

The  C6rtes  of  Cadiz,  on  14th  October,  18 10,  de- 
clared : — 

"  The  kingdoms  and  provinces  of  America  and  Asia  are,  and 
ought  to  have  been  always,  reputed  an  integral  part  of  the  Spanish 
monarchy,  and  for  that  same,  their  natives  and  free  inhabitants  are 
equal  ill  rights  and  privileges  to  those  of  the  penitisulaP 

These  are  very  noble  words,  and,  delivered  in  the 
majestic  language  of  Castile  by  some  enthusiastic  orator, 
must  have  gone  straight  to  the  hearts  of  those  that  heard 
them. 

Spain  is  as  celebrated  for  orators  as  Great  Britain  for 
the  lack  of  them.  Our  generation  has  never  produced  a 
speaker  like  Castelar.  But,  unfortunately  for  the  Philip- 
pines, these  grand  and  sonorous  phrases  dissolved  in  air, 
and  led  to  nothing  practical.  The  friars  stoutly  opposed 
what  to  them  seemed  dangerous  innovations  ;  they  were 
successful,  and  darkness  again  prevailed. 

The  insurrection  of  Cavite,  in  1872,  resulted  in  the 
execution  or  exile  of  many  members  of  the  masonic  body, 
and  the  brotherhood  was  for  some  years  under  a  cloud. 

The  Peninsular  Spaniards  dissociated  themselves  from 


SECRET  SOCIETIES  8 1 

the  revolutionary  party.  To  use  a  simile  which  has  been 
employed  in  England  to  describe  the  difference  between 
Liberals  and  Radicals,  they  were  "  going  by  the  same  train, 
but  not  going  so  far," 

The  Creoles  and  Mestizos  gradually  founded  new 
societies,  which  were  alleged  to  aim  at  obtaining  reforms 
by  legal  and  constitutional  means. 

"The  Asociacion  Hispano-Filipina"  had  for  its  first 
president  Doroteo  Cortes,  and  amongst  its  officers  Am- 
brosio  Rianzares  Bautista,  Pedro  Serrano,  and  Deodato 
Arellano. 

The  "  Liga  Filipina  "  was  founded  by  Dr.  Rizal  and 
Domingo  Franco  ;  its  first  president  was  shot.  Nearly  all 
the  members  were  Masons  ;  they  were  well  off,  and  of  fair 
education,  not  inclined  to  put  their  persons  or  property  in 
danger.  They  did  not  want  to  fight.  Their  programme 
may  be  summed  up  as  follows  : — 

1.  Expulsion    of  the   friars,   and   confiscation    of  their 

estates. 

2.  The  same   political,  administrative   and    economical 

concessions  as  had  been  granted  to  Cuba.     Free- 
dom of  the  press,  and  freedom  of  association. 

3.  Equalisation  of  the  Philippine  and  Peninsular  armies, 

and  a  just  division  of  Civil  Service  posts  between 
natives  and  Spaniards. 

4.  Return  to  owners  of  lands  usurped  by  the  friars,  and 

sale   of  such   lands    as   really   belonged    to    the 
Orders. 

5.  Prevention  of  insults  to  the  Philippine  natives,  either 

in  sermons  or  in  the  press. 

6.  Economy   in   expenditure.      Reduction   of  imposts. 

Construction  of  railways  and  public  works. 

It  was  certainly  not  without  risk  to  be  a  member  of  one 
of  these  societies,  for  the  Orders  are  vindictive  in  the 
extreme,  and  are  not  troubled  with  scruples  when  it  is  a 
question  of  punishing  an  opponent. 

Still,  the  Creole  and  Mestizo  element  were  made 
cautious  by  the  possession  of  property,  and  its  members 
cannot  be  called  fighting-men.  They  did  not  intend  to 
run  the  risk  of  having  holes  bored  through  them. 

They  founded  newspapers  in  Spain  ;  they  wrote  violent 
articles,  they  made  speeches,  they  obtained  the  support  of 
some    Liberals   and   anti-clericals    in    the    Peninsula,    and 

G 


82        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 

numbered  many  adherents  in  the  islands.  Still,  they  were 
comparatively  harmless.  Not  so,  however,  was  a  society 
which  was  formed  of  very  different  elements.  Taking  a 
hint,  perhaps,  from  the  murderous  brotherhood  of  the  Ku- 
Klux-Klan,  some  resolute  and  courageous  Tagals  imagined 
and  formed  that  terrible  secret  society,  the  Katipunan. 
There  is  no  K  in  the  Spanish  alphabet,  but  this  letter  is 
found  in  the  Malay  dialects,  and  consequently  in  Tagal. 
Therefore,  the  symbol  of  the  society,  K.K.K.,  was  as 
distinctly  anti-Spanish  as  was  the  full  title,  which  was 
represented  by  the  initials — 

N  M  A  N  B 

The  words  corresponding  to  these  initials  were  : — 

Kataas-taasan  Kagalang-galang  Katipunan 

or      Sovereign  Worshipful  Association 

Nang         Manga        Anac         Nang         Bayan 
of  the         (plural)         sons  of  the       Country. 

They  used  signs  and  passwords.  There  were  three  grades 
of  members  : — 


I  St  grade 

Katipun 

word  Anak  nang  bayan, 

2nd    „ 

Kanal 

„     Gom-bur-za.* 

3rd     „ 

Bayani. 

Andres  Bonifacio,  a  warehouse-keeper  in  the  service  of 
Messrs.  Fressel  &  Co.,  of  Manila,  was  the  guiding  spirit  of 
this  society,  and  at  the  meeting  of  ist  January,  1896,  the 
Supreme  Council  was  elected  as  follows : — 

President  .      .      .     Andres  Bonifacio. 

Fiscal  and  Doctor     Emilio  Jacinto  6  Dison,  alias  Ping  Kian. 

Treasurer ,      .      .     Vicente  Molina. 

'Pantaleon  Torres. 
Hermengildo  Reyes. 
Francisco  Carreon. 
I  Jose  Trinidad. 
Balbino  Florentino. 
,A<ruedo  del  Rosario. 


Councillors 


*  This  word  is  formed  of  the  first  syllable  of  the  names  of  three 
native  priests  executed  after  the  Cavite  mutiny,  Fathers  Gomez, 
Burgos,  and  Zamora. 


THE  KATIPUNAN  83 


K 

K    K 

Z     LL     B 

The  members  of  the  Katipunan  were  poor  people — - 
writers,  common  soldiers,  washermen,  mechanics,  and 
tenants  on  the  friars'  estates.  They  subscribed  small 
sums  monthly  for  the  purchase  of  arms,  and  for  other 
expenses.  Bearing  in  mind  how  many  conspiracies  had 
been  denounced  to  the  priests  by  the  women,  the  leaders 
of  this  movement  gave  their  meetings  the  outward  appear- 
ance of  benevolent  associations,  and  directed  the  members 
to  represent  the  society  to  their  wives  in  that  light. 

Later  on  a  woman's  lodge,  with  twenty-five  members 
was  organised,  under  the  presidency  of  Marina  Dison,  but 
the  women  were  not  informed  of  the  true  object  of  the 
society. 

Fray  Eduardo  Navarro,  Procurator  of  the  Augustinians, 
in  a  cleverly-written  work,  entitled  'The  Philippines;  a. 
Study  of  Certain  Matters  of  Moment,'  published  in  1897, 
prints  under  No.  3  of  the  Appendix  the  title  granted  by  the 
Walana  Lodge,  No.  158,  certifying  that  "our  dear  sister, 
Purificacion  Leyva,  has  been  initiated  in  the  degree  of" 
Companion-Mason  at  the  session  of  8th  April,  1894." 

On  reading  this  work,  I  infer  that  the  friars  considered 
the  Katipunan  a  Masonic  body,  but  this  is  a  mistake.  The. 
Katipunan  adopted  some  of  the  Masonic  paraphernalia, 
and  some  of  the  initiatory  ceremonies,  but  were  in  no 
sense  Masonic  lodges. 

The  programme  of  the  Katipunan  was,  in  its  own 
words,  "to  redeem  the  Philippines  from  its  tyrants,  the 
friars,  and  to  found  a  communistic  republic."  This  was 
simple  and  direct,  and  they  meant  it. 

How  many  men  were  affiliated  to  this  society  cannot  be 
known.  Estimates  range  from  10,000  to  50,000  members, 
I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  was  the  most  potent 
factor  in  the  insurrection  of  1896,  and  that  its  memberSj 
unlike  the  Creoles  and  Mestizos,  were  ready  to  give  their 
lives  for  their  cause. 


G  2 


84        THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   INSURRECTION   OF    1896-97. 

Combat  at  San  Juan  del  Monte — Insurrection  spreading — Arrival  of 
reinforcements  from  Spain — Rebel  entrenchments — Rebel  arms 
and  artillery — Spaniards  repulsed  from  Binacayan^and  from 
Noveleta — Mutiny  of  Carabineros— Prisoners  at  Cavite  attempt 
to  escape— Iniquities  of  the  Spanish  War  Office — Lachambre's 
division — Rebel  organization  —  Rank  and  badges  —  Lachambre 
advances — He  captures  Silang — Perez  Dasmarinas — Salitran — 
Anabo  II. 

The  Augustinians  take  credit  to  themselves  that  one  of 
their  order,  Father  Mariano  Gil,  parish  priest  of  Tondo, 
discovered  the  existence  of  the  revolutionary  conspiracy, 
on  the  19th  August  But  already  on  the  5th  of  July  a 
lieutenant  of  the  Guardia  Civil  had  declared  in  a  written 
report  that  there  were  over  14,000  men  belonging  to  the 
valley  of  the  Pasig,  affiliated  to  the  conspiracy. 

A  council  of  the  authorities  was  convened  on  the  6th  of 
August,  but  nothing  was  done.  On  that  same  date,  how- 
ever, the  Governor  of  Batangas  telegraphed  that  a  discovery 
of  arms,  ammunition  and  Republican  flags  had  been  made 
at  Taal.  In  consequence  of  this.  General  Blanco  ordered 
some  arrests  to  be  made. 

On  the  19th,  Father  Gil  gave  information  to  General 
Blanco  that  he  had  discovered  the  existence  of  a  secret 
revolutionary  society,  and  two  days  later  Blanco  reported 
to  the  Government  in  Madrid  that  there  existed  a  vast 
■organization  of  secret  societies. 

At  this  time  the  garrison  of  Manila  consisted  of  some 
1500  men,  most  of  them  being  natives.  As  arrests  were 
being  continually  made,  the  members  of  the  Katipunan, 
or  those  suspected  of  being  such,  left  their  homes  and 
took  to  the  woods  although  very  poorly  equipped  with 
fire-arms. 

On  30th  August  a  party  of  the  rebels  under  Sancho 


THE  INSURRECTION  OF  1896-97  85 

Valenzuela,  Modesto  Sarmiento,  and  others  had  a  fight 
with  some  native  cavalry  and  Guardias  Civiles  at  San  Juan 
del  Monte  near  Manila.  The  rebels  lost  heavily  in  killed, 
their  chiefs  were  taken  prisoners  and  shot  on  the  4th 
September,  at  the  Pasco  de  la  Luneta. 

A  Spanish  artilleryman  was  murdered  by  some  rebels 
at  Pandacan  about  this  time,  and  martial  law  was  pro- 
claimed. 

The  Guard ia  Civil,  all  native  soldiers,  was  now  con- 
centrated in  Manila  abandoning  their  outlying  posts.  After 
many  vacillations  and  contradictory  cablegrams  to  the 
Government  in  Madrid,  General  Blanco  now  definitely 
asked  for  large  reinforcements. 

On  September  ist,  the  people  of  Noveleta  revolted  and 
killed  a  captain  and  a  lieutenant  of  the  Guardia  Civil  and 
three  days  later  the  rebels  penetrated  to  the  town  of 
Caridad,  close  to  Cavite. 

Early  in  September  rebels  were  in  arms,  and  dominating 
great  part  of  the  Provinces  of  Manila,  Cavite,  Batangas, 
Bulacan,  Pampanga  and  Nueva  Ecija. 

By  the  middle  of  the  month  rebel  bands  appeared  in 
Tarlac,  Pangasinan,  Laguna,  Morong  and  Tayabas. 

On  the  9th  September,  the  Cavite  rebels  attacked  San 
Roque,  which  is  close  to  the  town  of  Cavite,  and  burned 
part  of  it.  On  the  12th,  thirteen  persons  who  had  been 
convicted  by  a  court-martial  of  complicity  in  the  revolt 
were  shot  in  Cavite, 

The  cables  from  General  Blanco  to  the  Madrid  Govern- 
ment were  all  this  time  misleading  and  contradictory,  and. 
showed  that  he  had  no  grasp  of  the  state  of  affairs.  These 
dispatches  were  subjected  to  severe  criticism  in  the  Heraldc,. 
a  Madrid  newspaper. 

By  the  middle  of  September  troops  arrived  from  Zam- 
boanga  and  other  southern  stations,  and  the  garrison  of 
Manila  was  brought  up  to  6000  men,  two-thirds  of  whom 
were  natives.  Reinforcements  were  sent  to  Cavite,  for 
the  rebels  were  in  great  force  about  Silang,  Imus,  and 
Noveleta. 

On  the  17th  September  another  attack  was  made  by 
the  rebels  on  San  Roque,  but  was  repulsed. 

On  the  1st  October  the  mail  steamer  CataluTia  arrived 
with  a  battalion  of  marines  from  Spain,  greatly  to  the 
delight  of  the  Spaniards,  who  gave  the  force  an  enthusiastic 
reception. 


86        THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

Next  day  the  ss.  Monserrat  arrived  with  more  troops, 
and  from  this  time  forward  troops  kept  pouring  in. 

Still  General  Blanco  remained  on  the  defensive  in  and 
around  the  city  of  Manila  and  the  town  of  Cavite,  and 
repulsed  attacks  made  by  the  rebels  on  the  magazines  at 
Binancayan  and  Las  Piiias, 

The  rebels  were  now  firmly  established  over  the  rest  of 
the  Province  of  Cavite.  The  natural  features  of  this  part 
of  Luzon  made  the  movements  of  regular  troops  extremely 
difficult.  The  country  abounds  in  rivers  which  run  from 
south  to  north  parallel  to  each  other  at  short  distances. 
They  run  at  the  bottom  of  deep  ravines,  which  present 
excellent  positions  for  defence.  Many  of  these  rivers  have 
dams  across  them  and  the  sluices  in  these  might  be  opened 
by  the  defenders,  or  the  dams  could  be  blown  up  in  case  a 
column  of  the  assailants  should  be  entangled  in  the  ravine 
below,  when  they  would  inevitably  be  overwhelmed  in  the 
descending  torrent. 

In  places  the  country  could  be  flooded  and  thus  be 
rendered  impassable  for  troops. 

But  the  industiy  of  the  rebels,  skilfully  directed,  had 
added  enormously  to  these  natural  advantages.  From  the 
reports  of  eye-witnesses  I  can  affirm  that  the  entrenchments 
of  the  Tagals  were  colossal.  Tagals  and  Boers  have 
demonstrated  that  a  competitive  examination  is  not  neces- 
.sary  to  enable  fighting-men  to  entrench  themselves.  The 
Tagal  lines  ran  from  the  delta  of  the  Zapote  River  to  Naic 
in  an  almost  unbroken  line,  approximately  parallel  to  the 
coast. 

They  were  doubled  and  trebled  in  front  of  villages  or 
towns  and  across  the  roads. 

The  trace  was  en  crcmaillh'e,  the  section  being  6  feet 
thick  at  the  top  and  8  feet  high,  the  exterior  face  vertical, 
with  a  revetment  of  bamboos  fastened  together  with  rattans. 
It  was  in  fact  a  bank  of  earth  built  up  against  a  strong 
bamboo  fence. 

The  defenders  fired  through  loop-holes  left  in  the 
parapet,  and  were  veiy  well  covered,  but  they  could  only 
fire  straight  before  them  and  horizontally. 

The  defences  of  the  towns  had  thicker  and  loftier 
parapets ;  in  some  cases  there  were  three  tiers  of  loop-holes 
properly  splayed. 

The  insurgents  were  very  insufficiently  armed,  and  at 
first  there  were  ten  men  to  a  rifle.     The  man  who  was 


REBEL  ARMS  AND   ARTILLERY  87 

reputed  the  best  shot  carried  the  rifle  and  cartridge  belt, 
and  if  he  was  killed  or  wounded  in  an  engagement,  the 
next  best  shot  took  the  weapon  and  continued  the  fight. 
In  the  early  actions  there  was  scarcely  ever  a  rifle  left  on 
the  ground  by  the  insurgents. 

The  only  cannon  the  rebels  had  at  first  were  some 
ancient  brass  swivel  guns  called  falconetes  or  lantacas, 
which  they  took  from  the  estate-houses  at  Imus  and 
Malabon. 

They  also  had  some  brass  mortars  like  quart  pots, 
which  are  used  for  firing  salutes  on  feast  days.  These  they 
fastened  at  an  angle  to  blocks  of  wood,  thus  making  small 
howitzers,  quite  effective  at  short  range.  They  loaded 
these  with  the  punchings  from  boiler-plates  and  broken 
cooking-pots. 

They  showed  a  considerable  ingenuity  in  making  cannon 
out  of  any  materials  at  hand.  They  would  take  a  steel 
boiler-tube,  a  stay  tube  for  choice,  say  about  three  inches 
bore  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick.  Plugging  up  one 
end  and  drilling  a  touch-hole,  they  would  drive  this  tube 
into  a  hole  bored  in  a  log  of  hard  wood  turned  on  the 
outside  to  a  taper,  then  they  drove  eight  or  nine  wrought- 
iron  rings  over  the  wood.  They  drilled  through  the  wood 
to  suit  the  touch-hole  and  the  gun  was  ready. 

They  fitted  no  trunnions,  but  mounted  this  rude  cannon 
upon  a  solid  block  of  wood. 

In  other  cases  they  made  some  wire  guns  by  lapping 
steel  boiler-tubes  with  telegraph-wire. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  campaign  of  Lachambre's 
division  against  the  rebels,  some  modern  field-pieces  of 
eight  centimetres  were  captured  from  them,  but  it  is  not 
clear  where  these  came  from. 

To  supplement  their  scanty  stock  of  rifles,  they  made 
some  hand-guns  of  gas-tube.  These  were  fired  by  applying 
a  match  or  lighted  cigar  to  the  touch-hole,  and  would  seem 
to  be  very  clumsy  weapons.  But  I  may  say  that  when  on 
a  visit  to  the  estate  of  Pal  pa,  in  Peru,  I  saw  a  Chinaman 
who  was  in  charge  of  the  poultry  corral,  kill  a  hawk 
hovering,  with  a  similar  gun. 

The  Spanish  Military  and  Naval  Authorities  now  took 
the  revolt  very  seriously,  and  on  the  8th  November  the 
squadron  comprising  the  Castilla,  Reina  Cristina,  and 
other  vessels,  and  the  guns  of  the  forts  at  Cavite  and 
Puerto  Vaga,  opened  upon  the  rebel   position    at  Cavite, 


S8        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Viejo,  Noveleta,  Binancdyan,  and  other  places  within  range, 
and  kept  it  up  for  hours.  The  next  morning  the  firing  was 
resumed  at  dayh'ght,  supplemented  by  the  guns  frcm 
launches  and  boats  well  inshore.  Troops  were  landed 
under  the  protection  of  the  squadron,  and  advanced  against 
the  entrenchments  of  Binancayan.  They  delivered  three 
frontal  attacks  with  great  gallantry,  reaching  the  parapet 
each  time,  but  were  beaten  back,  leaving  many  dead  upon 
the  ground.  No  flanking  attack  was  possible  here  for  the 
parapet  extended  for  many  miles  each  way. 

A  simultaneous  attack  was  made  upon  Noveleta  by  a 
column  of  3000  Spanish  and  native  infantry  under  Colonel 
Fermin  Diaz  Mattoni. 

This  force  started  from  Cavite  and  marched  through 
Dalahican  and  along  the  road  to  Noveleta.  This  road  is 
a  raised  causeway  running  through  a  mangrove  swamp, 
having  deep  mud  on  each  side  impassable  for  troops. 
This  is  at  least  a  mile  of  swamp,  and  the  troops  advanced 
along  the  causeway  and  crossed  a  bridge  which  spanned  a 
muddy  creek. 

No  enemy  was  in  sight,  and  the  town  was  not  far  ofif. 
Suddenly  the  head  of  the  column  fell  into  a  most  cunningly 
devised  pitfall.  The  road  had  been  dug  out,  the  pit 
covered  with  wattle,  and  the  surface  restored  to  its  original 
appearance.  The  bottom  of  the  pit  was  set  with  pointed 
bamboo  stakes  which  inflicted  serious  wounds  upon  those 
that  fell  upon  them. 

At  the  moment  of  confusion  the  rebels  opened  a 
withering  fire  from  concealed  positions  amongst  the  man- 
groves upon  the  column  standing  in  the  open. 

The  Spaniards  and  native  troops  made  great  efforts  to 
get  forward,  but  could  not  stand  the  fire  and  had  to  retire. 
When  they  got  back  to  the  bridge  it  was  down,  and  they 
had  to  wade  across  the  creek  under  a  close  fire  from  the 
rebels  hidden  amongst  the  mangroves.  In  this  action  the 
Spaniards  are  said  to  have  lost  600  killed  and  many 
hundreds  wounded.  The  loss  fell  principally  on  the  73rd 
and  74th  Regiments  of  Native  Infantry. 

The  rebels  were  greatly  encouraged,  and  got  possession 
of  a  large  number  of  rifles,  with  ammunition  and  accoutre- 
ments. 

Both  these  attacks  were  made  under  the  direction  of 
General  Blanco,  who  witnessed  them  from  a  lofty  staging 
erected  within  the  lines  of  Dalahican.    After  these  disasters 


MUTINY  OF  CARABINEERS  89 

he  resumed  the  defensive,  except  that  the  squadron  and 
the  batteries  at  Cavite  and  Puerto  Vaga  frequently  bom- 
barded the  rebel  positions. 

At  this  time  thousands  of  natives  were  in  prison  in 
Manila  awaiting  their  trial.  A  permanent  court-martial 
had  been  organised  to  try  the  suspects.  Great  numbers 
were  shot,  and  many  hundreds  were  transported  to  the 
Caroline  Islands,  to  Ceuta,  and  Fernando  F6.  Wealthy 
natives  were  mercilessly  blackmailed,  and  it  is  reported 
that  those  who  were  discharged  had  to  pay  large  sums  for 
their  release. 

The  Spanish  Volunteers  in  Manila  committed  many 
arbitrary  and  even  outrageous  actions,  and  aroused  the 
hatred  of  the  natives  far  more  than  the  regular  troops  did. 
They  allowed  their  patriotism  to  carry  them  into  most 
lamentable  excesses. 

On  the  25th  February  a  rising  and  mutiny  of  the 
Carbineers  or  Custom-House  Guards  took  place  in  Manila 
at  the  captain  of  the  port's  office.  The  scheme  miscarried 
and  was  only  partially  successful.  The  officer  on  duty 
was  shot,  and  also  the  sergeant,  and  the  rebels  made  off 
with  some  rifles  and  ammunition. 

The  volunteers  and  some  troops  hastily  called  together 
pursued  the  rebels  through  Tondo  as  far  as  the  Leper 
Hospital,  till  nightfall,  the  last  volley  being  fired  at 
6.15  P.M.  In  this  affair  the  mutineers  lost  a  great  many 
men,  but  some  of  them  got  away  and  joined  the  rebels. 

Blanco  had  not  been  severe  enough  with  the  rebels  or 
suspected  rebels  to  please  the  friars.  His  management  of 
the  attacks  upon  Noveleta  and  Binancdyan  had  been  faulty, 
and  his  health  was  bad.  It  was  not  surprising  that,  having 
the  priests  against  him,  and  the  military  dissatisfied,  that  he 
was  recalled.  He  left  at  the  end  of  1896.  General  Polavieja, 
an  officer  who  had  risen  from  the  ranks  by  his  military 
talents,  and  who,  when  serving  in  Cuba,  had  very  accurately 
gauged  the  situation,  and  had  made  a  remarkably  clever 
report  to  the  government,  was  sent  out  to  replace  Blanco. 
Polavieja  was  inexorable  with  the  rebels  and  their  sym- 
pathisers. Military  executions  took  place  about  once  a 
week  for  two  months.  Francisco  Roxas,  a  mestizo  ship- 
owner, Numeriano  Adriano,  and  many  other  mestizos  and 
natives  were  shot  at  the  Pasco  de  la  Luneta. 

On  December  6th  the  prisoners  in  Cavite  jail  rose, 
murdered    their    jailer,   and    attempted    to   escape.      One 


90       THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

hundred  and  fifty  prisoners  were  concerned  in  this  affair. 
Of  these,  forty-seven  were  shot  in  the  streets  of  the  town, 
and  twenty-one  were  captured,  whilst  thirteen  were  shot 
in  the  bushes  behind  Cafiacao.  Those  recaptured  were 
tried  for  prison-breaking,  and  were  all  shot  the  next 
morning-. 

By  the  beginning  of  1897,  a  large  number  of  troops 
had  arrived  from  Spain.  They  were,  however,  largely 
conscripts,  raw  youths  who  had  never  handled  a  rifle,  mere 
raw  material  in  fact,  sent  out  without  uniform  or  equipment, 
many  having  only  what  they  stood  up  in,  or  at  most,  having 
a  spare  shirt  and  a  singlet  tied  up  in  a  handkerchief.  We 
talk  about  the  shortcomings  of  our  War  Ofhce  officials,  and 
certainly  they  sometimes  give  examples  of  wooden-headed 
stupidity,  and  are  behind  the  age  in  many  particulars.  But 
for  deliberate  inhumanity,  for  utter  callousness  to  human 
suffering,  to  loss  of  health  and  life,  I  think  the  Spanish 
War  Office  could  hardly  be  outdone.  And  I  speak  of  their 
misdeeds  from  personal  knowledge  in  the  Philippines  and 
in  Cuba.  What  an  enormous  amount  of  suffering  was 
caused  to  the  working-people  of  Spain  by  the  sending  to 
Cuba  and  to  the  Philippines  of  over  200,000  men  in 
1895-96.  Never  in  this  generation  were  men  shipped 
away  so  destitute  of  clothing,  provisions,  surgeons  and 
medical  comfcrts.  Never  have  I  seen  troops  in  the  field 
with  such  wretched  equipment,  or  so  devoid  of  transport, 
tents,  and  supplies. 

Whatever  successes  they  achieved  were  secured  by  the 
inborn  valour  of  the  troops,  and  by  extraordinary  exertions 
on  the  part  of  the  generals  and  staff  to  improvise  on  the 
spot  what  the  national  treasury  should  have  supplied  them 
with  at  the  commencement  of  hostilities. 

The  raw  recruits  having  been  drilled  and  exercised 
with  the  rifle  were  organised  in  fifteen  battalions  and  called 
Cazadores  (chasseurs).  These  battalions,  with  four  regi- 
ments of  native  infantry  and  some  native  volunteers,  were 
formed  into  brigades  under  Generals  Cornell,  Marina, 
Jaramillo  and  Galbis.  The  first  three  brigades  constituted 
a  division,  which  was  placed  under  the  command  of  General 
Lachambre,  an  officer  of  great  energy,  and  of  long  experi- 
ence in  the  Cuban  wars. 

By  the  beginning  of  1897  the  Tagal  rebellion  had 
concentrated  its  forces  in  the  province  of  Cavite.  Embers 
of  rebeUion  still  smouldered  in  other  provinces  of  Luzon, 


REBEL   ORGANIZATIOA  91 

but  many  rebels  from  outlying  places  had  thrown  in  their 
lot  with  those  of  Cavite,  and  in  great  numbers,  very  in- 
differently supplied  with  arms  and  ammunition,  but  amply 
with  provisions,  they  confidently  awaited  the  long-prepared 
attack  of  the  Spanish  forces  behind  the  formidable  entrench- 
ments that  their  persevering  labour  had  raised.  In  the 
interval  they  had  organised  themselves  after  a  fashion,  and 
had  instituted  a  reign  of  terror  wherever  they  held  sway. 

The  organisation  of  the  rebels  in  the  province  of  Cavite 
was  of  a  somewhat  confused  nature,  and  seemed  to  respond 
to  the  ambition  and  influence  of  particular  individuals 
rather  than  to  any  systematic  principle. 

Thus  Silang  was  declared  a  vice-royalty  under  Victor 
Belarmino,  styled  Victor  I. 

The  rest  of  the  province  was  divided  into  two  districts, 
each  ruled  by  a  council  ;  the  first  was  Imus  and  its  vicinity, 
under  Bernardino  Aguinaldo  with  ministers  of  war,  of  the 
treasury,  of  agriculture  and  of  justice. 

The  second  w^as  San  Francisco  de  Malabon,  presided 
over  by  Mariano  Alvarez,  with  ministers  of  state  as  above. 

But  above  the  kingdom  of  Silang  and  the  two  republics, 
the  President  of  the  Katipunan,  Andres  Bonifacio,  held  sway 
as  lieutenant  of  the  Generalissimo  Emilio  Aguinaldo.  He 
resided  in  his  palace  at  San  Francisco,  and  from  there 
dictated  his  orders.  The  supreme  power  was  in  the  hands 
of  Aguinaldo. 

All  these  authorities  exercised  despotic  power,  and 
certainly  ill-treated  and  robbed  their  own  countrymen  who 
did  not  desire  to  join  them,  far  more  than  the  Spaniards 
have  ever  done  in  the  worst  of  times.  They  frequently 
inflicted  the  death-penalty,  and  their  so-called  courts- 
martial  no  more  thought  of  acquitting  an  accused  person 
than  a  regimental  court-martial  in  England  would.  The 
terrible  President  of  the  Katipunan  ultimately  became  a 
victim  of  one  of  these  blood-thirsty  tribunals. 

Their  military  organization  was  curious.  The  province 
was  sub-divided  into  military  zones.  First  Silang,  second 
Imus,  third  Bacoor,  fourth  San  P'rancisco  dc  Malabon,  fifth 
Alfonso.  Each  zone  had  an  army  which  consisted  of  all 
the  population  able  to  work,  and  was  divided  into  two  parts, 
the  active  or  fighting  force  and  the  auxiliary  but  non- 
combatant  part.  The  active  force  was  divided  into  regi- 
ments and  companies,  and  these  last  into  riflemen  and 
spearmen,  there  being  commonly  five  of  the  latter  to  one 


92        THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 

of  the  former.      Besides   the   usual    military   ranks,    they 
instituted  the  following  functionaries  : 


Minister  of  Marine  .  .  .  . 
Principal  Chaplain  to  the  Forces. 
Intefidatit- General  of  Taxes  . 
General  of  Artillery  .  .  .  . 
hispector  of  Ordnance  Factor ies\ 
General  of  Engineers  j 

Judge  Advocate  General . 


Marcelo  de  los  Santos. 
Eladio  Almeyda. 
Silvcstrc  Aguinaldo. 
Crispulo  Aguinaldo. 

Edilberto  Evangelista. 

Santos  Noc6n. 


All  the  above  held  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general. 
The  badges  of  rank  were  as  follows  : 


Generalissimo^ 


Rebel  Badges  of  Rank. 


Lieiitenant  Generals, 


K  on  the  hat  or  cap. 
Z.  L.  I.  B.  on  the  arm. 

K      on  the  left  breast. 


Marshals, 


K 


^^^ 


Brigadiers, 


Colonels, 


K 


REBEL  BADGES   OF  RANK  93 

Majoj's, 

K 
K 
K 

The  Ministers, 

K 

The  Secretary  to  the  Generalissimo, 

KKK 

The  rebels  occupied  the  whole  of  the  province  of  Cavite, 
except  the  fortified  town  of  that  name  containing  the  naval 
arsenal,  and  a  small  strip  on  the  shores  of  the  Laguna 
where  the  Spanish  troops  were  posted. 

Cornell's  brigade  was  at  Calamba  and  Marina's  brigade 
at  Biiian.  They  had  outlying  detachments  amounting  to 
1500  men  at  Santa  Cruz,  Santo  Domingo,  Tayabas,  and 
along  the  line  from  Tanauan  to  Baiiadero,  leaving  each 
brigade  4000  men  for  the  advance  into  the  rebel  territory. 
The  divisional  troops  numbered  about  1300,  making  a  total 
of  9300  combatants. 

The  brigade  under  Jaramillo  had  its  headquarters  in 
Taal,  Batangas  Province,  with  outlying  detachments  at 
Batangas,  Calaca,  Lian  Balayan  and  Punta  Santiago,  and 
a  force  holding  the  line  of  the  Pansipit  River,  altogether 
amounting  to  1000  men,  leaving  1600  free  to  operate. 

Besides  this  a  fourth  brigade,  not  belonging  to  the 
division,  having  General  Galbis  as  brigadier,  was  extended 
along  the  northern  bank  of  the  Zapote  River,  under  the 
immediate  orders  of  the  governor-general.  The  Lakes  of 
Bay  and  Bombon  (Taal)  were  guarded  by  armed  steam- 
launches  and  other  small  craft,  whilst  the  gunboats  of  the 
squadron  patrolled  the  sea  coast.  The  rebel  province  was 
thus  held  in  a  grip  of  iron. 

On  the  1 2th  February,  1897,  General  Lachambre  re- 
ported himself  ready  to  advance.  General  Polavieja  ordered 
Jaramillo  to  attack  the  rebel  trenches  at  Bayuyungan  on 
the  14th,  and  to  keep  up  the  attack  until  Lachambre  had 
seized  Silang,  when  he  was  to  attack  Talisay  on  the  Lake 
of  Taal.  The  marines  at  Dalahican  were  ordered  to  attack 
Noveleta,  whilst  Lachambre  was  to  advance  on  the  15th, 
the  two  brigades  taking  different  routes,  but  converging  on 
Silang. 

The  march  was  extremely  difficult,  and  the  nine-centi- 


94       THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 

m^tre  guns  were  only  taken  through,  at  the  cost  of  most 
strenuous  efforts.  The  enemy  tenaciously  defended  every 
favourable  position,  and  were  only  driven  off  at  the  cost  of 
many  lives. 

On  the  19th,  Silang,  one  of  the  principal  rebel  towns, 
was  taken  by  assault  and  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  after 
a  preparatory  bombardment  in  which  the  artillery  fired 
105  rounds  of  shell,  whilst  25,000  rifle  cartridges  were  used 
by  the  infantry. 

The  rebels  lost  2000  men  killed  and  wounded,  whilst 
the  Spanish  losses  were  12  killed  and  70  wounded.  The 
town  was  strongly  entrenched  and  stoutly  defended,  and 
its  capture  with  so  small  a  loss  may  justly  be  called  a 
creditable  operation.  Marina's  brigade  attacked  from  the 
south  and  Cornell's  brigade  from  the  east. 

The  action  lasted  from  7  to  11.30  A.M.  The  rebels 
were  discouraged,  but  still,  on  the  22nd,  they  delivered  an 
attack  as  if  they  would  retake  the  town,  and  pressed  on 
with  great  fury.  They  killed  four  of  the  Spaniards  and 
wounded  twenty-one,  but  in  the  end  were  driven  off, 
leaving  400  dead  on  the  ground.  The  houses  in  Silang 
were  found  fully  furnished  and  provisioned.  In  the  house 
of  the  so-called  Viceroy  of  Silang,  Victor  Belarmino,  the 
principal  ornament  of  the  sala  was  a  chromo-lithograph 
portrait  of  the  Queen  Regent. 

The  church-doors  were  wide  open  and  the  altars  pro- 
fusely illuminated.  On  the  sacristy  table  lay  the  priestly 
robes  and  ornaments,  ready,  doubtless,  for  the  celebration 
of  a  Te  Deum  for  the  expected  victory.  But  he  who  was 
to  wear  them,  the  celebrated  Tagal  Bishop,  lay  with  a 
bullet  through  his  heart  across  the  parapet  he  had  fiercely 
defended. 

Lachambre  preserved  the  best  houses  around  the  church 
and  convent  and  utilised  them  as  storehouses,  hospital,  and 
barracks,  burning  the  rest  of  the  town  as  a  punishment  to 
the  rebels.  He  then  garrisoned  and  fortified  the  post  and 
connected  it  with  the  telegraph  line. 

On  the  24th  Lachambre  marched  from  Silang,  his  main 
body  advancing  by  the  direct  route  to  Perez  Dasmariiias 
parallel  to  the  River  Casundit,  a  flanking  force  of  three 
companies  guarding  the  left  of  the  column,  whilst  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Villalon,  with  a  battalion  and  a  half  having  started 
an  hour  earlier  than  the  main  body,  took  the  road  to 
Palimparan,  having  the  Rio  Grande  on  his  right,  and  by 


PEREZ  DASMARINAS   TAKEN  95 

his  advance  protecting  the  right  flank  of  the  column. 
Villalon  advanced  rapidly,  and,  brushing  aside  all  opposi- 
tion, rushed  Palimparan  with  a  loss  of  one  killed  and  one 
wounded,  killing  seven  of  the  rebels  in  the  attack.  Here 
he  bivouacked,  and  at  sunset  was  joined  by  another  force 
consisting  of  half  a  brigade  under  Colonel  Arizon,  detached 
from  General  Galbis'  force  on  the  Zapote  River. 

In  the  meantime  the  main  body  had  advanced  to  within 
three  miles  of  Perez  Dasmariiias  and  bivouacked  at  the 
hamlet  called  Sampalcoc,  On  the  following  day  Perez 
Dasmariiias  was  taken  by  assault,  after  a  short  bombard- 
ment by  the  mountain  batteries.  The  rebels  were  strongly 
entrenched,  and  made  a  stout  resistance.  They  had  flooded 
the  rice  fields  to  the  east  of  the  town  and  rendered  them 
impassable. 

The  town  was  attacked  from  the  south  and  west,  but  it 
took  hours  of  hard  fighting  for  the  Spaniards  to  break  in, 
and  even  then  the  rebels  fought  hand  to  hand,  and  many 
preferred  death  to  surrender.  Those  who  fled  were  taken 
in  flank  by  Arizon's  force,  which  approached  the  northern 
end  of  the  town  from  the  eastward.  The  loss  of  the 
Spaniards  was  21  killed  and  121  wounded,  whilst  the 
natives  left  400  dead  at  the  foot  of  their  defences,  and  a 
great  number  were  killed  outside  the  town. 

The  early  part  of  the  defence  was  directed  by  Aguinaldo, 
but  he  fled  when  the  Spanish  forces  closed  up,  leaving 
Estrella,  an  ex-sergeant  of  the  Guardia  Civil,  in  his  place. 
Estrella  fled  later  on  when  the  Spaniards  had  entered  the 
town.  Unintimidated  by  this  rude  lesson,  the  rebels  that 
same  night  fired  into  the  town,  and  on  the  27th  they 
attacked  a  column  which  went  out  to  make  a  reconnaissance 
towards  Palimparan,  and  gave  a  mountain  battery  a  chance, 
which  they  promptly  took,  of  getting  at  a  dense  body  of 
them  with  case.  The  artillery  fired  22  rounds  in  this 
action,  and  the  infantry  used  63,000  cartridges.  The  Spanish 
loss  was  two  killed  and  ten  wounded,  whilst  the  rebels  lost 
at  least  300. 

The  church,  convent,  and  stone  houses  round  the  Plaza 
of  Perez  Dasmariiias  were  loopholed  and  prepared  for 
defence,  and  occupied  by  a  garrison  of  two  companies  of 
infantry.  Owing,  however,  to  the  difficulty  of  bringing  up 
supplies,  the  division  could  not  resume  its  advance  till  the 
7th  March.  Then  the  division  took  the  eastern  road  to 
Imus,  whilst  the  half  brigade  under  Arizon  marched  by  a 


96       THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

parallel  road  on  the  right  flank,  which  converged  upon  the 
Imus  road  at  Salitran,  a  village  with  a  large  stone  estate- 
house  belonging  to  the  Recollcts,  strongly  entrenched  and 
held  by  the  rebels. 

On  arriving  within  range  two  guns  of  Cornell's  brigade 
opened  fire  on  the  estate-house  from  an  eminence,  but  after 
the  fifth  round  the  Spanish  flag  was  shown  from  the  house, 
it  having  been  occupied  by  Arizon's  force  arriving  from  the 
east  after  a  very  slight  resistance,  for  the  rebels  seemed  to 
have  no  one  in  command.  They  had  prepared  for  an 
attack  from  the  east,  but  when  they  found  the  Spaniards 
arriving  in  great  force  upon  their  right  flank,  enfilading 
their  strong  entrenchments,  they  became  demoralised  and 
took  to  flight. 

The  scouts  now  reported  that  a  formidable  entrenchment 
a  mile  and  a  quarter  long,  was  occupied  by  the  rebels  about 
a  mile  north  of  the  village.  This  entrenchment,  called 
Anabo  II.,  covered  both  the  roads  to  Imus,  and  each  flank 
rested  on  a  deep  ravine — the  eastern  end  had  a  redoubt, 
and  the  western  end  a  flanking  epaulement. 

The  ground  in  front  was  perfectly  open,  and  there  was 
difficulty  in  making  a  flanking  attack,  so  General  Zabala, 
with  a  half  brigade,  made  a  direct  attack.  The  fighting 
line  gradually  advanced,  taking  such  cover  as  the  pilapiles 
of  the  rice-fields  could  give,  until  they  arrived  within 
lOO  yards  of  the  parapet,  when  Zabala,  waving  high  his 
sword,  gave  the  order  for  the  assault,  falling  a  moment  after 
pierced  through  the  breast  by  a  shot  from  a  lantaca.  Two 
captains  fell  near  him,  but  the  lieutenants  led  their  com- 
panies to  the  assault ;  the  cazadores  sprang  across  the  ditch 
and  clambered  up  the  high  parapet  with  the  agility  and 
fury  of  leopards,  bayoneting  those  of  the  defenders  who 
remained  to  fight  it  out,  and  sending  volley  after  volley 
into  those  who  had  taken  to  flight. 

The  Spanish  loss  was  ii  killed  and  33  wounded,  whilst 
200  of  the  rebels  were  killed.  This  heavy  loss  did  not 
however  appear  to  intimidate  them  in  the  least,  for  on  the 
8th  they  made  two  desperate  attempts  to  retake  the 
position,  in  both  of  which  they  came  within  close  range 
of  the  Spaniards,  who  poured  repeated  volleys  into  them 
by  word  of  command,  whilst  the  mountain-guns  played 
upon  them  with  case.  In  this  action  the  Spaniards  lost 
5  killed  and  25  wounded,  and  they  calculated  the  rebel 
killed  at  300. 


(    97     ) 


CHAPTER   XI. 
THE  INSURRECTION  OF   1 896-97 — continued. 

The  Division  encamps  at  San  Nicolas — Work  of  the  native  engineer 
soldiers— The  division  marches  to  Salitran — Second  action  at 
Anabo  II. — Crispulo  Aguinaldo  killed — Storming  the  entrench- 
ments of  Anabo  I. — Burning  of  Imus  by  the  rebels — Proclama- 
tion by  General  Polavieja  —  Occupation  of  Bacoor  —  Difficult 
march  of  the  division — San  Antonio  taken  by  assault — Division 
in  action  with  all  its  artillery — Capture  of  Noveleta — San  Fran- 
cisco taken  by  assault — Heavy  loss  of  the  Tagals — Losses  of  the 
division — The  division  broken  up — Monteverde's  book — Polavieja 
returns  to  Spain — Primo  de  Rivera  arrives  to  take  his  place — 
General  Monet's  butcheries — -The  pact  of  Biak-na-Bato — The 
74th  Regiment  joins  the  insurgents — The  massacre  of  the  Calle 
Camba — Amnesty  for  torturers — Torture  in  other  countries. 

On  the  lOth  (March)  the  division  marched  to  Presa-Molino,- 
which  was  occupied  that  same  evening,  and  leaving  three 
companies  of  infantry  to  guard  the  position,  the  division 
continued  its  march  through  a  most  difficult  country, 
arriving  in  the  afternoon  on  the  Zapote  River,  in  touch 
with  the  4th  Brigade,  formerly  commanded  by  Galbis  and 
now  by  Barraquer. 

From  there  Lachambre  with  his  staff  rode  over  ta 
Paraiiaque,  and  reported  himself  to  the  Captain-General 
Polavieja. 

The  troops  encamped  on  the  downs  of  San  Nicolas,  one 
brigade  on  each  side  of  the  River  Zapote.  Notwithstanding 
the  comparatively  favourable  emplacement  of  the  camp, 
the  troops  and  their  officers  suffered  severely  from  the 
effect  of  the  climate  upon  frames  weakened  by  over-exer- 
tion, by  indifferent  nourishment  and  by  sleeping  on  the 
ground.  Malarial  fevers,  intestinal  catarrh,  dysentery,  and 
rheumatism  sapped  their  vitality,  whilst  nostalgia  preyed 
upon  the  younger  soldiers  and  depressed  their  spirits. 
Since  the  15th  February  the  division  had  lost  in  killed, 

II 


98        THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

wounded,  and  invalided,  no  less  than  135  officers,  and 
troops  in  greater  proportion. 

Yet  still  greater  exertions  were  to  be  required  from  the 
soldiers.  The  4th  Brigade  was  incorporated  in  the  division, 
and  two  additional  battalions,  one  from  the  3rd  Brigade 
and  the  other  from  the  Independent  Brigade,  brought  the 
number  of  combatants  nearly  up  to  12,000. 

Having  previously  made  a  practicable  road  by  Almansa 
to  Presa  Molino  and  Salitran,  defended  by  redoubts  at  the 
most  difficult  fords,  and  having  organised  his  transport 
with  such  means  as  the  country  afforded,  Lachambre  again 
set  out,  his  objective  being  Imus,  but  the  attack  was  to  be 
from  Salitran. 

The  work  of  the  native  engineer  soldiers,  and  of  the 
74th  Native  Regiment  in  constructing  this  road  and  the 
redoubts,  merits  the  highest  praise,  and  it  must  be  admitted 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  for  an  army  of  white  men  to 
carry  on  a  campaign  in  the  Philippines  or  in  similar  terri- 
tory, without  the  assistance  of  native  pioneer  or  engineer 
troops. 

The  road  being  ready,  and  the  convoys  of  provisions 
having  gone  forward,  on  the  morning  of  the  22nd  March 
the  division  started  on  its  march  to  Salitran,  where  it 
arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  23rd,  having  had  some  sharp 
skirmishes  on  the  way. 

Early  on  the  24th  the  division  set  out  for  Imus,  and 
once  more  the  formidable  trenches  and  redoubts  of 
Anabo  II.,  restored,  strengthened,  and  crowded  with 
determined  defenders,  barred  their  path.  These  works 
had  once  already  been  taken  by  assault,  and  had  cost  the 
division  the  loss  of  the  brave  General  Zabala  and  other 
oflficers  and  men. 

Protected  on  each  flank  by  a  deep  ravine  with  a  river 
at  the  bottom,  and  with  open  ground  in  front,  the  attack 
had  been  rendered  more  difficult  by  flooding  the  arable 
land  before  the  trenches,  and  the  position  of  the  rebels 
was  an  exceedingly  strong  one.  Lachambre  had  to  accept 
a  direct  attack,  but  he  sent  a  body  of  troops  forward  on 
each  flank  to  advance  simultaneously  and  overlap  the  ends 
of  the  entrenchment. 

The  infantry  deployed,  the  firing  line  advanced  under 
fire  without  stopping  to  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the 
parapet,  when  they  halted,  taking  what  cover  they  could 
and  keeping  up  a  steady  fire.     Then  the  mountain  battery 


SECOND  ACTION  AT  AN  ADO  II.  99 

was  brought  up  and  fired  common  shell  at  close  range, 
breaching  the  parapet.  A  rush  forward  soon  brought  the 
firing-line  within  150  yards  of  the  parapet.  General  Marina, 
watching  the  engagement  well  to  the  front,  had  one  of  his 
staff  officers  killed  at  his  side  ;  seeing  the  favourable  moment 
arrive,  he  gave  the  order  for  the  assault. 

Once  more  the  troops  exhibited  their  conspicuous 
bravery.  The  long  line,  led  by  its  officers,  dashed  forward 
with  the  bayonet,  the  bugles  sounding  the  charge,  and  with 
impetuous  speed,  soon  reached  the  parapet.  However 
terrible  the  attack,  the  stout-hearted  Tagals  stood  firm, 
disdaining  to  fly. 

Bolo  and  bayonet  clashed,  Euro^Dean  courage  and  Malay 
fury  had  full  play,  till  in  the  end,  as  ever  in  equal  numbers 
and  in  stand-up  fight,  the  European  prevailed.  Many 
of  the  defenders  fell,  the  rest  sought  safety  in  flight. 

The  engagement  lasted  two  and  a  half  hours  without 
cessation,  and  over  three  hundred  rebel  dead  were  counted 
in  or  near  the  works,  amongst  them  was  Crispulo  Aguinaldo, 
a  brother  of  General  Emilio  Aguinaldo.  The  Spaniards 
lost  9  killed  and  108  wounded. 

After  a  short  rest  the  division  resumed  the  advance 
upon  Imus,  and  bivouacked  after  marching  about  a  couple 
of  miles. 

On  the  25th  the  advance  was  continued  on  a  broad 
front.  Scarcely  had  the  division  marched  for  half-an-hour 
when  the  leading  ranks  came  in  sight  of  another  line  of 
entrenchments  more  than  two  miles  long,  six  feet  high,  and 
five  feet  thick,  well  protected  with  cane  fences  in  front, 
one  of  these  being  at  a  distance  of  100  yards  from  the 
parapet. 

Lachambre  orders  the  centre  to  make  a  direct  attack 
and  the  wings  a  flanking  movement.  The  rebels  retain 
their  fire  till  the  Spaniards  arrive  within  two  hundred  yards, 
and  then  the  parapet  is  crowned  with  flame  both  from  small 
arms  and  lantacas.  The  scene  of  the  day  before  was  re- 
peated, the  parapet  stormed,  with  a  rebel  loss  of  over  six 
hundred.  After  a  short  halt  the  advance  against  Imus  was 
resumed.  The  distance  was  short,  and  the  appearance  of 
the  thousands  of  bayonets  and  the  explosion  of  a  few 
shells  produced  an  indescribable  panic  amongst  the  in- 
habitants and  the  many  who  had  come  from  other  towns  to 
assist  in  the  defence. 

They  took  to  flight,  disregarding  the  protests  of  their 

II  2 


loo      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

leaders  Emilio  Aguinaldo  and  Andres  Bonifacio.  In  order 
to  cover  his  retreat,  the  former  ordered  the  magazine  to  be 
blown  up  and  the  town  to  be  burned.  This  delayed  the 
advance  of  the  Spaniards  in  the  centre,  but  the  wings 
moved  forward  and  the  thousands  of  fugitives  were  exposed 
to  a  flanking  fire,  and  more  than  eight  hundred  of  them  bit 
the  dust.  It  was  afternoon  before  Lachambre  could  enter 
what  remained  of  Imus,  when  as  a  mark  of  honour  for 
their  splendid  services,  the  colour  of  the  74th  Regiment  of 
Native  Infantry  was  raised  upon  the  tower  of  the  church — 
all  the  troops  presenting  arms  and  afterwards  giving  en- 
thusiastic cheers. 

Thus  was  taken  the  citadel  of  the  Katipunan  with  a 
loss  to  the  Spaniards  of  25  killed  and  129  wounded. 

The  taking  of  Imus  gave  General  Polavieja  an  oppor- 
tunity of  offering  an  amnesty  to  the  rebels,  which  he  did 
not  neglect.  On  the  26th  of  March  he  issued  a  proclama- 
tion offering  pardon  to  all  who  had  borne  arms  against  the 
Royal  Authority,  or  who  had  assisted  the  rebels,  provided 
they  presented  themselves  before  Palm  Sunday  the  nth  of 
April.  Leaders  of  the  rebels  were  to  present  themselves 
with  their  forces  and  arms. 

On  the  26th  March  the  division,  leaving  a  garrison  in 
Imus,  started  for  Bacoor  to  take  the  defences  in  reverse, 
and  such  was  the  effect  on  the  rebels  of  their  defeat  at 
Imus  and  of  the  advance  in  overwhelming  force,  that  they 
fled,  and  the  division  occupied  Bacoor  almost  without  firing 
a  shot. 

It  was  otherwise  with  Binacayan,  for  Marina's  Brigade 
having  made  a  reconnaissance  in  force  on  the  28th,  were 
received  with  a  heavy  fire,  and  after  an  hour's  skirmish  in 
which  some  were  killed  on  each  side,  they  returned  to  their 
camp  at  Bacoor  ;  Lachambre  considering  that  an  attack  in 
that  direction  would  result  in  a  useless  waste  of  life,  for  the 
advance  would  be  along  narrow  causeways  across  swamps. 
Having  received  provisions  and  ammunition  by  sea  from 
Manila,  he  returned  with  his  division  to  Imus,  the  garrison 
of  which  had  not  been  molested  by  the  rebels. 

At  daylight  on  the  31st  March,  the  division  left  Imus 
and  marched  across  country  in  a  westerly  and  southerly 
direction,  fording  numerous  streams  running  at  the  bottom 
of  deep  ravines,  as  well  as  many  irrigating  canals  and 
ditches.  Soon  after  the  start  the  right  flank  was  fired  upon, 
the  fire  increasing  as   the  column  moved    forward.     The 


SAN  ANTONIO    TAKEN  loi 

engineers  had  to  improve  the  approaches  to  the  fords  of  the 
Rivers  Julian  and  Batong  Dalig  under  fire. 

The  leading  brigade  carried  several  entrenchments  on 
its  front  and  flank  without  halting,  but  extending  skirmishes 
on  either  flank  to  beat  off  the  enemy.  The  rear  brigade 
was  attacked  on  both  flanks  and  had  to  fight  a  rearguard 
action  as  well.  The  division  bivouacked  for  the  night  at 
Bacao,  a  point  from  which  it  threatened  the  rebel  towns  of 
San  Francisco,  Santa  Cruz,  Rosario  and  Noveleta,  all 
within  easy  reach. 

The  losses  on  the  day's  march  were  6  killed  and  37 
wounded,  whilst  400  rebel  killed  were  counted  on  open 
ground,  and  many  must  have  fallen  amongst  the  bushes 
and  trees. 

They,  however,  were  not  at  all  dismayed,  and  surrounded 
the  bivouac  at  night,  firing  repeated  volleys  and  engaging 
the  outposts. 

On  the  following  day  (ist  April),  the  division  with  all 
its  baggage  crossed  the  River  Ladron,  and  took  up  a  posi- 
tion in  the  centre  of  a  large  tract  of  rice-fields,  having 
Noveleta  on  the  north,  San  Francisco  on  the  south, 
Rosario  and  Santa  Cruz  to  the  west,  and  San  Antonio 
on  the  east,  San  Antonio  was  first  taken  by  assault 
after  the  parapet  had  been  breached  by  the  fire  of  two 
batteries  of  mountain  guns.  The  fugitive  Tagals  who 
escaped  with  their  lives  took  refuge  in  Noveleta. 

The  situation  was  now  as  follows :  Arizon's  Brigade 
threatened  Noveleta,  Marina's  Brigade  threatened  Rosario 
and  Sarralde's  Brigade  attacked  Santa  Cruz — the  baggage 
being  in  the  centre  and  out  of  fire. 

At  this  moment  a  dense  mass  of  the  enemy  issuing  from 
San  Francisco,  made  a  desperate  attack  upon  the  Spaniards 
nearest  to  them. 

The  whole  of  the  division  with  its  twelve  guns,  was  now 
in  action  and  surrounded  by  the  enemy,  Lachambre  in  the 
centre  keenly  watching  the  fight.  When  he  judged  the 
right  moment  had  arrived,  he  ordered  Arizon's  Brigade  to 
storm  Noveleta. 

The  Brigade  greeted  this  order  with  thundering  shouts 
of  "Viva  Espaiia,"  and  with  the  pluck  that  has  always  dis- 
tinguished the  Spanish  soldier  when  well  led,  carried  the 
entrenchments  at  a  run,  and  fought  a  hand  to  hand  combat 
with  the  defenders,  who  were  either  killed  or  driven  out, 
notwithstanding  that  these  were  the  very  best  of  the  rebel 


I02      THE  INHADITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

troops,  amongst  them  being  many  of  Aguinaldo's  Guards, 
wearing  a  special  uniform,  some  of  them  having  served  in 
the  native  regiments.  Here,  again,  the  74th  Native  In- 
fantry distinguished  themselves  by  their  remarkable 
bravery,  and  once  more  their  colour  was  displayed  from 
the  church  tower  as  a  recognition  of  their  valuable  and 
loyal  services. 

The  capture  of  Noveleta  placed  the  division  in  com- 
munication with  the  marines  occupying  the  entrenchments 
of  Dalahican. 

This  action  cost  the  division  11  killed  and  58  wounded, 
but  many  hundreds  of  the  rebels  were  killed. 

In  consequence  of  this,  the  rebels  abandoned  Cavite, 
Viejo,  and  Binacayan,  which  were  occupied  the  following 
day  without  resistance. 

The  rebels,  however,  on  the  4th,  and  again  on  the  5th, 
attacked  the  troops  in  Noveleta  and  sustained  the  combat 
for  some  time,  killing  10  and  wounding  33  Spanish,  but 
leaving  50  of  their  own  dead  on  the  ground. 

On  the  6th  the  division  marched  from  Noveleta,  which 
was  occupied  by  a  garrison  of  marines,  and  took  the  direc- 
tion of  San  Francisco,  the  advanced  guard  in  extended 
order  across  the  same  open  ground  upon  which  the  engage- 
ment of  April  1st  was  fought.  The  rebel  positions  on  the 
right  flank  were  marked  by  lines  of  skirmishers  with  their 
supports  and  reserves.  The  Tagals  had,  however,  inun- 
dated the  part  of  this  plain  immediately  in  front  of  the 
town,  and  the  advance  was  made  with  great  difficulty  ;  the 
guns  and  ammunition  boxes  having  to  be  carried  by 
the  gunners  with  the  assistance  of  the  infantry.  With 
undaunted  bravery  the  troops  struggled  on  under  a  heavy 
fire,  but  Lachambre,  realising  the  difficulty  and  the  danger 
incurred,  changed  the  direction  of  the  advance.  The  right 
wing  under  Arizon  inclined  to  the  right,  and  the  left,  under 
Marina,  bore  away  to  the  left.  Half  a  brigade  crossed  the 
River  Ladron,  notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  the  rebels, 
and  attacked  the  town  from  the  east.  Firmer  ground  was 
soon  reached,  the  guns  that  had  cost  so  much  labour  taking 
up,  were  mounted,  and  a  rain  of  shell  soon  fell  amongst  the 
rebels.  The  infantry  poured  in  steady  volleys,  advancing 
in  the  intervals  of  firing.  The  whole  combined  attack 
being  within  a  proper  distance  for  the  final  rush,  Lachambre 
gave  the  word,  and  like  greyhounds  released,  the  Spanish 
and  native  infantry  leaped  to  the  assault.     The  parapet 


SAN  FRANCISCO    TAKEN  103 

was  high  and  deep  the  ditch,  for  the  defenders  had  not 
spared  their  labour  on  it,  and  as  the  Spanish  line  reached 
the  edge,  the  rebels  boldly  mounted  the  parapet  and  dis- 
charged their  arms  at  close  quarters.  In  this  critical 
moment  the  moral  superiority  of  the  white  man  once  more 
was  manifest.  The  Spanish  troops  reached  the  parapet 
and  a  hand-to-hand  combat  with  the  bolder  rebels  took 
place,  the  bayonet  against  the  spear  or  bolo.  The  less- 
determined  of  the  enemy  fled,  and  in  a  few  minutes  120 
Tagals  lay  dead  against  the  parapet,  and  five  guns  and 
eighty  rifles  remained  as  trophies  to  the  victors.  The 
companies  re-formed  for  the  pursuit,  but  the  enemy  fired 
the  thatched  huts  to  interpose  a  curtain  of  flame  between 
them  and  their  pursuers ;  a  measure  which  was  only 
partially  successful,  for  some  of  the  troops,  nimbly  darting 
through  the  lanes,  shot  down  or  bayoneted  many  of  the 
fugitives,  killing  400  in  the  pursuit,  besides  those  who  died 
at  the  entrenchments.  The  Spanish  loss  was  25  killed 
and  125  wounded,  including  several  officers.  The  fighting 
had  lasted  four  hours  over  very  difficult  ground,  and  the 
troops  were  exhausted.  Lachambre  therefore  camped  ia 
the  town,  which  has  many  fine  edifices  and  a  spacious, 
church  and  convent.  The  bells  of  the  church,  in  a  joyful 
peal,  announced  the  Spanish  triumph.  The  rebels  were 
under  the  command  of  Andres  Bonifacio,  the  President 
of  the  formidable  Katipunan.  This  terrible  blow  to  the 
insurrection  was  followed  by  the  occupation  of  the  towns 
of  Santa  Cruz  and  Rosario,  without  firing  a  shot. 

Many  of  the  natives  had  joined  the  rebellion  under  com- 
pulsion, and  had  long  desired  to  submit  themselves.  Now 
they  came  in  by  hundreds  eveiy  day  to  claim  the  amnesty 
offered  by  General  Polavieja. 

Fifty-two  days  had  the  campaign  lasted,  fifty-seven 
combats  had  taken  place,  and  the  total  loss  of  the  divi- 
sion was  I  general,  14  officers,  and  168  men  killed,  and 
56  officers  and  910  men  wounded.  Probably  a  far  larger 
number  died  or  were  invalided  from  disease,  induced  by 
the  fatigue,  exposure  and  privations  inseparable  from  such 
a  campaign,  especially  as  most  of  the  men  were  mere 
youths,  raw  recruits,  and  with  little  possibility  of  taking 
care  of  themselves,  even  if  they  knew  how.  Notwith- 
standing the  excessive  fatigue  and  the  depressing  nature 
of  the  surroundings,  the  Spanish  troops  maintained  a  fine 
martial  spirit,  and  ever  showed  themselves  ready  to  respond 


I04      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

to  the  calls  made  upon  them.  They  were  well  led  by  their 
officers,  who  devoted  themselves  unsparingly  in  their 
country's  service,  and  they  had  confidence  in  their  generals, 
who  were  untiring  in  their  exertions  to  do  their  best  for 
their  men.  Lachambre  displayed  the  greatest  solicitude 
for  the  well-being  of  the  force  under  his  command  ;  whilst 
showing  the  utmost  resolution,  and  pushing  his  attacks 
home  in  every  case,  yet  he  sacrificed  his  men  as  little  as 
possible,  and  always  had  patience  to  wait  till  his  flanking 
attacks  could  join  in  the  assault.  The  distances  the 
division  had  to  traverse  were  very  small,  but  the  absence 
of  roads  and  bridges  made  the  provisioning  of  the  army  a 
matter  of  the  utmost  difficulty. 

Those  who  know  the  poverty  of  the  Spanish  Army 
in  animals,  vehicles,  and  stores,  will  understand  what 
Lachambre  and  his  staff  accomplished.  On  the  I2th 
April,  1897,  the  division  was  broken  up,  and  the  brigades 
were  stationed  at  various  places  in  Cavite  and  the  neigh- 
bouring provinces. 

The  general,  brigadiers,  officers,  and  troops,  are  for- 
tunate in  having  as  chronicler  of  their  exploits,  so  pains- 
taking and  appreciative  an  officer  as  Lieut-Colonel  Don 
Federico  de  Monteverde  y  Sedano,  who  in  his  book,  '  La 
Division  Lachambre,'  published  in  1898,  gives  a  detailed 
account  of  the  campaign,  with  sketches  illustrative  of  the 
various  actions.  Seiior  Monteverde  does  justice  to  every 
Spaniard,  from  the  divisional-general  downwards.  I  could 
wish  he  had  said  something  more  about  the  services  of  the 
73rd  and  74th  Regiments  of  Native  Infantry,  who  seem  to 
have  been  always  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle  and  where 
the  hardest  work  was  being  done,  as  in  assisting  the  magni- 
ficent engineer  corps,  without  whom  I  doubt  if  the  campaign 
could  have  been  successful.  His  book,  however,  is  invalu- 
able to  those  who  may  have  to  conduct  operations  in  the 
Philippines,  and  the  invariable  success  achieved  by  La- 
chambre, contrasts  remarkably  with  the  failures  in  the 
early  part  of  the  rebellion,  and  one  cannot  help  seeing  a 
parallel  between  this  little  war  and  the  greater  one  in  South 
Africa.  Each  was  mismanaged  at  the  beginning,  but  as 
soon  as  the  invading  forces  were  organised  in  one  command, 
success  was  achieved. 

A  few  days  after  the  breaking  up  of  the  division, 
General  Polavieja  embarked  for  Spain,  very  much  broken 
in  health.      In  a  letter  written  on  the  9th  March  to  the 


GENERAL  MONET'S  BUTCHERIES  105 

Minister  of  War,  Polavieja  declared  himself  too  ill  to  ride 
and  asked  for  his  relief.  He,  however,  still  remained  at  Para- 
naque,  directing  the  campaign  till  after  the  capture  of  San 
Francisco. 

The  Spanish  press  took  sides  for  or  against  him,  the 
papers  advocating  the  interests  of  the  friars  praised  him, 
whilst  the  Liberal  press  held  him  up  to  ridicule. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  he  directed  the  military  opera- 
tions in  an  efficient  manner,  but  under  his  government  the 
arbitrary  arrests,  cruelties,  and  tortures,  inflicted  upon  all 
who  were  suspected  of  being  sympathisers  with  the  rebels, 
or  from  whom  money  would  be  extorted,  that  had  begun 
under  Blanco,  continued  and  increased.  For  Blanco,  having 
been  informed  of  the  cruelties  inflicted,  issued  an  order 
forbidding  the  practice. 

The  next  governor-general  was  General  Primo  de 
Rivera,  who  had  held  that  office  from  1880  to  1883,  and 
had  found  it  a  very  profitable  one.  He  arrived  on  the 
23rd  April  and  went  to  the  front  on  the  29th  ;  on  the  4th 
May,  Naic  was  taken,  also  a  small  place  called  Quintana, 
and  Indang.  At  Naic  there  was  very  heavy  fighting,  and 
some  at  Indang. 

The  troops  then  advanced  to  Maragond6n,  which  was 
taken  on  the  loth  after  a  most  stubborn  resistance,  the 
Spaniards  losing  many  men  and  the  rebels  still  more 
heavily. 

This  place  was  the  last  where  the  rebels  made  a  stand, 
in  Cavite  province.  After  this  defeat  they  dispersed  in 
roving  bands  and  kept  on  the  move. 

The  whole  province  was  a  scene  of  desolation,  towns 
burnt,  churches  bombarded,  stone  houses  blown  up, 
property  looted,  putrefying  bodies  lying  about  in  hun- 
dreds, the  fields  laid  waste,  the  cattle  driven  off,  the 
country  depopulated,  a  remnant  of  the  inhabitants  hiding 
in  the  woods  ;  a  few  of  the  bolder  ones  returned  to 
the  ruined  houses.  Such  was  the  result  of  this  unhappy 
rebellion. 

I  have  this  description  from  an  eye-witness,  and  he 
assured  me  that  he  had  been  told  by  a  colonel  commanding 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  regiments  engaged  in  the 
campaign,  that  not  less  than  30,000  natives  lost  their  lives 
in  that  province  alone  during  the  rebellion. 

The  rebels  gave  no  quarter  to  Spaniards,  and  the 
Spaniards  only  occasionally  took  prisoners.    However,  once 


To6      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

taken  they  were  usually  released  after  being  exhorted  to 
return  to  their  homes. 

Whilst  the  operations  of  Lachambre's  division  were 
proceeding  in  Cavite,  General  Monet,  with  a  force  of  3000 
men,  was  carrying  on  an  indiscriminate  butchery  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  in  Bulacan  and  Pampanga,  but  he 
displayed  no  military  qualities,  and  ultimately  escaped, 
leaving  his  forces  to  surrender. 

The  Spanish  Volunteers  in  Manila  continued  their  series 
of  abominable  outrages,  although  in  August,  Primo  de 
Rivera  issued  a  decree  forbidding  intimidation,  plundering 
and  ravishing.  He  was  ultimately  obliged  to  disband  them. 
Driven  out  of  Cavite,  the  remnant  of  the  rebels  under 
Aguinaldo  took  refuge  in  the  hills  and  held  a  strong  posi- 
tion near  Angat,  in  the  province  of  Bulacan.  As  it  would 
have  taken  a  long  time  to  reduce  them,  Primo  de  Rivera 
tried  conciliation,  and  employed  Don  Pedro  Paterno,  a 
native  gentleman  of  means,  who  had  been  educated  in 
Spain,  as  mediator.  By  his  instrumentality,  an  arrange- 
ment was  arrived  at  which,  after  being  approved  by  the 
Government  in  Madrid,  was  signed  by  the  mediator  as 
attorney  for  the  rebels  and  the  governor-general  for  Spain. 
This,  known  as  the  pact  of  Biak-na-bato,  was  signed  on 
December  14th,  1897. 

In  consequence,  Aguinaldo  and  a  number  of  the  pro- 
minent rebels  were  escorted  to  Hong  Kong  by  a  relative 
of  the  governor-general,  and  there  received  a  sum  of 
$400,000,  being  the  first  instalment  of  the  sum  agreed 
upon. 

They  lived  in  a  quiet  and  economical  manner  upon  their 
own  resources.  They  did  not  divide  the  indemnity  nor 
convert  it  to  their  own  use,  but  kept  it  as  a  war  fund  in 
case  of  need. 

The  event  showed  the  wisdom  of  this  course,  for  Primo 
de  Rivera  had  led  them  to  understand  that  an  amnesty  and 
reforms  were  to  follow,  but,  apparently,  had  caused  the 
Spanish  Government  to  look  upon  the  arrangement  in  a 
very  different  light,  and  he  subsequently  denied  that  any 
treaty  existed.  No  reforms  were  ever  granted,  and  things 
in  Luzon  went  on  in  the  same  old  way.  The  friars  joined 
in  raising  a  large  subscription  for  Primo  de  Rivera,  and  this 
seemed  to  incline  him  more  favourably  towards  them. 

The  amnesty  was  disregarded,  and  the  priests  continued 
their  arbitrary  courses  against  those  who  had  been  concerned 


MASSACRE   OF  THE   CALLE  DE   CAMBA  107 

in  the  rebellion.  Bands  of  marauders  infested  the  pro- 
vinces and  the  country  was  in  a  very  unsettled  state,  some 
insurgent  bands  approaching  Cavite. 

On  March  24th,  the  74th  Regiment  of  Native  Infantry 
in  garrison  at  that  town,  the  regiment  that  had  distin- 
guished itself  so  remarkably  in  Lachambre's  division,  being 
always  in  the  front,  was  ordered  to  march  out  against  them. 
Whatever  the  reason,  whether  they  felt  that  their  splendid 
services  had  not  been  duly  acknowledged,  or,  as  is  likel}', 
their  pay  was  months  in  arrears,  they  refused  to  march 
against  their  own  countrymen.  Eight  corporals  were  called 
out  of  the  ranks  and  shot  then  and  there  in  the  presence  of 
the  regiment,  which  was  again  ordered  to  advance,  and  a 
threat  made  that  a  refusal  would  mean  death  to  all. 

All  did  refuse  and  were  sent  to  barracks  to  await  sen- 
tence. The  next  morning  the  entire  regiment  with  arms 
and  equipment,  marched  out  and  deserted  in  a  body  to  the 
insurgents,  saying  they  were  willing  to  fight  the  foreign 
enemies  of  Spain,  but  not  against  their  own  friends.  The 
following  day  another  regiment  joined  them,  but  I  have  no 
note  of  its  number. 

It  was  now  that  an  event  occurred  in  Manila  that 
showed  how  little  desire  there  was  amongst  the  Spaniards 
to  treat  the  natives  with  ordinary  justice,  much  less  to 
conciliate  them. 

This  was  the  massacre  of  the  Calle  de  Camba,  quite  a 
short  distance  from  the  American  Consulate,  and  it  was 
perpetrated  on  the  25th  and  26th  of  March.  On  the  first 
of  those  day  a  number  of  Visayan  sailors  from  the  vessels 
in  the  Pasig  had  assembled  in  a  house  in  the  above  street, 
which  was  their  usual  resort. 

Somehow  the  story  got  about  that  an  illegal  assembly 
was  being  held,  and  the  police,  without  more  ado,  attacked 
the  meeting  and  shot  down  a  dozen,  taking  sixty-two 
prisoners.  The  next  morning  the  whole  of  these  prisoners 
were  marched  to  the  cemetery,  and  all  shot,  though  many 
them  were  known  to  have  been  merely  passing  by  at  the 
time. 

This  is  vouched  for  by  Mr.  Oscar  F,  Williams  in  an  offi- 
cial letter  to  Mr.  Cridler,  dated  27th  March,  1898.  It  could 
hardly  have  been  a  mere  coincidence  that  a  revolt  of  the 
Visayas  broke  out  about  ten  days  later,  when  they  made  a 
desperate  attack  upon  the  city  of  Cebii  in  which  many  lives 
were  lost  and  much  property  damaged. 


io8      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

It  seems  hardly  worth  while  to  relate  any  more  instances 
of  Tagal  revenge  or  Spanish  brutality.  The  country  that 
had  been  almost  pacified  was  now  again  in  revolt  and 
amongst  the  insurgents  were  two  battalions  of  well-trained 
and  veteran  troops. 

But  now  events  were  impending  of  transcendent  im- 
portance— the  Spanish-American  War  had  broken  out. 

Previously,  however,  Primo  de  Rivera  left  Manila  to 
return  to  Spain,  but  before  going  he  granted  an  amnesty 
to  all  who  had  tortured  suspected  persons  to  extort  evidence 
from  them. 

Some  of  the  victims  had  died  under  torture  rather  than 
bear  witness  against  their  friends,  for  the  Tagal  is  a  Stoic 
after  the  manner  of  the  Red  Indian.  Others  survive,  mere 
wrecks,  maimed  for  life,  and  living  mementoes  of  Spanish 
cruelty. 

Torture  for  extracting  evidence  from  suspected  persons 
is  illegal  in  all  Christian  countries  and  their  dependencies, 
and  also  in  Japan,  but  has  not  yet  been  entirely  routed  out 
in  British  India  nor  in  Egypt.  In  1897,  four  cases  of  police 
torture  in  the  North-West  Provinces  and  Oudh,  ended  in 
convictions. 

In  Spain,  some  police  officers  are  now  on  their  trial  for 
applying  the  thumb-screw  to  the  fingers  of  anarchist  prisoners 
in  the  Castle  of  Monjuich  with  such  severity,  that  one  of 
them,  a  railway  porter,  lost  the  use  of  his  hands  and  arms. 
And  Ysabelo  de  los  Reyes,  a  native  of  Ilocos,  declares  that 
he  was  tortured  in  the  same  prison  by  thirst,  having  been 
fed  upon  salt  food  and  deprived  of  water. 

Last  March  (1900),  a  captain  of  police  was  tried  at 
Sambor,  in  Austrian  Galicia,  for  torturing  prisoners  with 
the  thumb-screw  and  by  deprivation  of  food,  and  was  sen- 
tenced to  a  long  term  of  imprisonment.  In  Corea,  China, 
and  Siam,  torture  forms  part  of  the  legal  procedure  before 
sentence,  to  say  nothing  of  the  various  and  lingering 
deaths  the  judge  may  order  after  the  prisoner  has  con- 
fessed. Let  us  hope  that  now  there  will  be  no  more  of  it 
in  the  Philippines. 


(     IC9    ) 


CHAPTER  XII. 
THE  AMERICANS    IN   THE    PHILIPPINES. 

Manila  Bay — The  naval  battle  of  Cavite — General  Aguinaldo — Pro- 
gress of  the  Tagals  —  The  Tagal  Republic  —  Who  were  the 
aggressors  ? — Requisites  for  a  settlement — Scenes  of  drunken- 
ness— The  estates  of  the  religious  orders  to  be  restored — Slow 
progress  of  the  campaign — Colonel  Funston's  gallant  exploits — 
Colonel  Stotsenburg's  heroic  death  —  General  Antonio  Luna's 
gallant  rally  of  his  troops  at  Macabebe— Reports  manipulated — 
Imaginary  hills  and  jungles — Want  of  co-operation  between  army 
and  navy — Advice  of  Sir  Andrew  Clarke — Naval  officers  as 
administrators — Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid's  denunciations  —  Senator 
Hoar's  opinion — Mr.  McKinley's  speech  at  Pittsburgh  —  The 
false  prophets  of  the  Philippines — Tagal  opinion  of  American 
Rule — Senor  Mabini's  manifesto — Don  Macario  Adriatico's  letter 
—  Foreman's  prophecy  —  The  administration  misled  —  Racial 
antipathy — The  curse  of  the  Redskins — The  recall  of  General 
Otis — McArthur  calls  for  reinforcements — Sixty-five  thousand 
men  and  forty  ships  of  war — State  of  the  islands — Aguinaldo  on 
the  Taft  Commission. 

Manila  Bay. 

The  width  of  the  entrance  to  the  vast  Bay  of  Manila  is 
nine  and  a  half  marine  miles  from  shore  to  shore.  It  is 
divided  into  two  unequal  channels  by  the  Island  of  Corre- 
gidor  and  Pulo  Caballo,  and  a  rock  called  El  Frayle,  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  southern  shore,  farther  reduces 
that  channel. 

The  Boca  Chica,  or  northern  entrance  between  Corre- 
gidor  Island  and  Punta  Lasisi,  is  two  marine  miles  wide, 
and  in  the  middle  of  the  channel  the  depth  of  water  is 
about  thirty  fathoms. 

The  Boca  Grande,  or  southern  entrance  between  Pulo 
Caballo  and  El  Frayle,  is  three  and  a  half  marine  miles 
wide,  with  a  depth  of  water  in  the  fairway  of  about  twenty 
fathoms. 


no      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

In  both  channels  the  tide  rushes  in  and  out  with  great 
force. 

With  channels  of  such  a  width  there  was  no  difficulty  in 
taking  a  squadron  in  at  night,  and  little  chance  of  suffer- 
ing damage  from  the  hastily  improvised  batteries  of  the 
Spaniards. 

And  it  will  be  evident  to  all  having  the  slightest  know- 
ledge of  submarine  mining  that  the  conditions  are  most 
unfavourable  to  defence  by  such  means.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  Spaniards  possessed  only  nine  obsolete  submarine 
mines  fitted  to  explode  by  contact.  These  were  sent  over 
to  Corregidor,  but  were  not  sunk,  as  it  was  obvious  that  they 
were  useless. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  was  a  perfect  position  for  the 
employment  of  torpedo  boats  or  gunboats,  there  being 
excellent  anchorage  for  such  craft  on  both  sides  of  the 
Channel  and  in  Corregidor  Cove.  But  at  the  time  of  the 
declaration  of  war,  the  Spaniards  had  no  torpedo  boats  in 
the  Philippines.  The  Elswick-built  cruisers  Isla  de  Cuba 
and  Isla  de  Liizon  were  fitted  with  torpedoes,  and  might 
have  been  watching  the  channels  for  a  chance  to  use  them. 
Admiral  Montojo  knows  best  why  he  did  not  detach  them 
on  this  service. 

There  was  then  nothing  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the 
American  Squadron  ;  the  mines,  torpedo  boats  and  narrow 
channels  only  existed  in  the  imagination  of  some  American 
newspaper  correspondents. 

But  Admiral  Dewey's  exploit  does  not  need  any  such 
enhancing,  it  speaks  for  itself 

To  any  one  having  a  knowledge  of  the  Spanish  navy, 
and  especially  of  the  squadron  of  the  Philippines,  the  result 
of  an  action  against  an  Am.erican  Squadron  of  similar  force 
could  not  be  doubtful.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  Spanish 
ships,  except  the  two  small  cruisers  built  at  Elswick  in 
1887,  were  quite  obsolete.  The  Cast  ilia  and  Reina  Crist  ina 
were  wooden  vessels,  standing  very  high  out'  of  the  water, 
and  making  admirable  targets,  whilst  their  guns  were  small, 
some  of  them  had  been  landed  at  Corregidor,  though  never 
placed  in  battery.  The  boilers  of  one  vessel  were  in  the 
arsenal. 

But  even  allowing  for  the  fact  that  the  tonnage  of  the 
American  Squadron  was  half  as  much  again  as  that  of  the 
Spaniards,  and  that  they  had  more  than  twice  as  many,  and 
heavier  guns,   no   one   would   have    supposed  it   possible 


GENERAL  AGUINALDO  III 

that  the  Spanish  Squadron  could  have  been  completely- 
destroyed  without  inflicting  any  damage  upon  the  enemy. 

It  was  indeed  a  brilliant  victory,  reflecting  great  credit 
upon  Admiral  Dewey  and  the  officers  and  crews  of  the 
American  ships,  not  only  for  what  they  did  that  day,  but 
for  their  careful  preparation  that  enabled  them  to  score  so 
decided  a  success. 

The  Spanish  sailors  put  up  a  good  fight  and  showed 
pluck,  but  they  had  no  skill  as  gunners,  and  so  failed  in  the 
hour  of  their  country's  need.  Admiral  Montojo  bravely 
commanded  his  fleet,  but  as  soon  as  the  action  was  over  he 
seems  to  have  considered  that  his  duty  had  terminated,  for 
he  returned  to  his  Villa  in  San  Miguel,  leaving  the  remnants 
of  his  squadron  and  the  Cavite  arsenal  to  its  fate. 

We  must  infer  that  Admiral  Dewey's  victory  and  its 
consequences  were  not  foreseen  by  the  American  Govern- 
ment, for  they  had  made  no  preparations  to  send  troops  to 
Manila,  and  from  the  time  they  learned  of  the  destruction 
of  the  Spanish  Squadron,  till  they  had  assembled  a  force 
strong  enough  to  take  and  hold  the  city,  three  weary 
months  elapsed.  This  was  a  very  hap-hazard  way  of 
making  war,  and  the  delay  cost  many  thousands  of  lives  as 
will  be  seen  later  on. 

General  Agimialdo. 

On  the  19th  May,  1898,  Don  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  former 
chief  of  the  insurgents,  arrived  in  Manila  in  pursuance  of  an 
arrangement  with  the  American  Consul-General  at  Singa- 
pore. He  came  with  a  suite  of  seventeen  persons  on  board 
an  American  gunboat,  and  after  an  interview  with  Admiral 
Dewey,  was  landed  at  Cavite  and  given  two  field-pieces,  a 
number  of  rifles  and  a  supply  of  ammunition. 

He  soon  reasserted  himself  as  the  leader  of  the  insurrec- 
tion, which  was  already  in  active  progress,  and  gained  some 
signal  successes  against  the  Spaniards.  On  the  24th  May 
he  issued  a  proclamation  enjoining  his  followers  to  make 
war  in  a  civilized  manner  and  to  respect  property. 

I  do  not  intend  to  discuss  the  negotiations  between 
Mr.  Pratt  and  Aguinaldo,  nor  between  the  latter  and 
Admiral  Dewey.  This  subject  has  been  very  fully  treated 
by  Mr.  Foreman  in  the  second  edition  of  his  book.  The 
treating  with  Aguinaldo  was  not  approved  by  Mr.  Day  at 
Washington,  and  the  Consul-General  and  Consuls  who  had 


112      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 

participated  in  it,  and  even  taken  credit  for  it,  were  severely 
rapped  over  the  knuckles  and  promptly  adopted  an  apolo- 
getic tone  (see  Blue  Book).  But  whatever  was  the  agree- 
ment with  Aguinaldo,  it  is  evident  that  had  it  not  been  for 
his  assistance  and  that  of  the  insurgents,  the  Spanish  forces 
could  have  retired  from  Manila  to  Tarlac  or  other  place 
inland  out  of  reach  of  the  guns  of  the  fleet  and  could  have 
prolonged  their  resistance  for  years. 

The  Tagal  Republic. 

The  Tagals  had  made  much  progress  since  the  insurrec- 
tion of  1896-7.  Their  ideas  had  advanced  considerably 
since  their  rudimentary  organization  in  the  Province  of 
Cavite,  as  can  be  gathered  from  the  improved  style  of  the 
various  proclamations  and  decrees  published  by  Aguinaldo. 

They  now  organized  a  Government,  a  real  Civil 
Administration,  extending  over  a  great  part  of  Luzon,  and 
sent  an  expedition  to  Visayas.  They  established  a  Con- 
stitution, a  representative  government,  and  reopened  the 
courts  and  schools,  whilst  the  native  clergy  carried  on 
public  worship  as  usual,  Aguinaldo  repeatedly  asserted 
the  determination  of  the  Tagal  people  to  fight  to  the  death 
for  independence.  At  this  time  the  insurgents  held  9000 
Spaniards  as  prisoners  of  war,  and  they  claimed  to  have 
30,000  men  under  arms. 

Paymaster  Wilcox,  U.S.N.,  and  Mr.  Leonard  R.  Sar- 
gent who  travelled  through  part  of  Luzon  for  more  than 
600  miles,  and  during  six  weeks,  reported  *  to  Admiral 
Dewey  that  a  regular  and  orderly  Administration  had  been 
established,  and  was  in  full  working  order, 

Aguinaldo  was  at  the  head  of  this  Government  and  of 
the  army  co-operating  with  the  American  forces  by  the 
written  request  of  General  Anderson.  This  should  have 
ensured  him  and  those  with  him  at  the  very  least  courteous 
and  considerate  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  American 
Commanders,  and  in  fact  he  received  this  from  Admiral 
Dewey,  But  as  soon  as  the  direction  of  affairs  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  general  commanding  the  army  the  deeply- 
rooted  contempt  felt  by  Americans  for  the  coloured  races 
was  allowed  full  play,  Aguinaldo  and  his  staff  found  them- 
selves ignored,  or  treated  with  scarcely  veiled  contempt,  and 
the  estrangement  was  gradually  increased, 

*  Report  published  in  Outlook,  September  ist  and  21st,  1S99. 


REQUISITES   FOR  A   SETTLEMENT  113 

I  do  not  know  which  party  was  the  aggressor  on 
February  the  4th,  1899,  each  swears  that  it  was  the  other. 
The  ad  bono  test  cuts  both  ways,  for  whilst  it  appears  that 
the  attack  on  Manila  secured  two  doubtful  votes  in  the 
Senate  for  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  whereby  the 
Philippines  were  bought  from  Spain,  on  the  other  hand, 
Aguinaldo  may  have  felt  it  necessary  to  prove  to  America 
that  the  Philippines  would  fight  rather  than  bow  their  necks 
to  the  Yankee  yoke.  So  that  both  parties  may  have  had 
an  interest  in  beginning  hostilities.  In  any  case,  the  next 
day  Aguinaldo  offered  to  withdraw  to  a  greater  distance  if 
an  armistice  was  arranged,  but  Otis  declared  that  "  fighting 
must  go  on." 

Personally,  I  think  that  if  a  sympathetic  and  conciliatory 
attitude  had  been  adopted,  had  the  local  government  estab- 
lished been  recognized,  had  Aguinaldo  and  his  staff  been 
given  commissions  in  the  Native  Army  or  Civil  Service,  and 
the  flower  of  the  Tagal  Army  taken  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  a  peaceful  settlement  could  have  been  made 
■on  the  lines  of  a  Protectorate. 

I  therefore  look  upon  the  war  as  unnecessary,  and  con- 
sider the  lives  already  sacrificed,  and  that  will  have  to  be 
sacrificed,  as  absolutely  thrown  away. 

The  tragical  side  of  American  unpreparedness  is  mani- 
fest in  the  state  of  anarchy  in  which  the  whole  Archipelago 
has  been  plunged  by  the  American  unreadiness  to  occupy 
the  military  posts  as  soon  as  they  were  vacated  by  the 
Spanish  garrisons.  A  hideous  orgy  of  murder,  plunder, 
and  slave-raiding  has  prevailed  in  Visayas,  and  especially  in 
Mindanao. 

Three  conditions  were  essential  to  a  peaceful  settle- 
ment : — 

First. — A  broad-minded  and  sympathetic  representative 
of  America,  fully  authorized  to  treat,  and  a  lover  of  peace. 

Second. — A  strict  discipline  amongst  the  American 
forces. 

Third. — The  principal  aim  and  object  of  the  Tagal  in- 
surrection must  be  secured. 

General  Otis  does  not  seem  to  me  to  fulfil  the  first  con- 
dition, he  lacked  prestige  and  patience,  and  he  showed  that 
he  had  an  insufficient  conception  of  the  magnitude  of  his 
task  by  occupying  himself  with  petty  details  of  all  kinds 
and  by  displaying  an  ill-timed  parsimony.  Apparently  he 
had  no  power  to  grant  anything  at  all,  and  only  dealt  in 

I 


ir4      THE  INHA/UrANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


vague  generalities  which  the  Tagals  could  not  be  expected 
to  accept. 

As  regards  the  second  point,  I  regret  that  I  am  not 
personally  acquainted  with  the  gentlemen  from  Nebraska, 
Colorado,  Dakota  and  other  states  serving  in  the  United 
States  Army  or  volunteers.  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  are 
good  fighting-men,  but  from  all  I  can  hear  about  them  they 
are  not  conspicuous  for  strict  military  discipline,  and  too 
many  of  them  have  erroneous  ideas  as  to  the  most  suitable 
drink  for  a  tropical  climate. 

Manila  was  in  the  time  of  the  Spaniards  a  most  temperate 
city  ;  a  drunken  man  was  a  very  rare  sight,  and  would  usually 
be  a  foreign  sailor.  Since  the  American  occupation,  some 
hundreds  of  drinking  saloons  have  been  opened,  and  daily 
scenes  of  drunkenness  and  debauchery  have  filled  the  quiet 
natives  with  alarm  and  horror.  When  John  L.  Motley- 
wrote  his  scathing  denunciation  of  the  army  which  the  great 
Duke  of  Alva  led  from  Spain  into  the  Low  Countries,  "  to 
enforce  the  high  religious  purposes  of  Philip  II.,  he  could 
not  foresee  that  his  words  would  be  applicable  to  an 
American  Army  sent  to  subjugate  men  struggling  to  be 
free  "  for  their  welfare,  not  our  gain,"  nor  that  this  army, 
besides  bringing  in  its  train  a  flood  of  cosmopolitan 
harlotry,*  would  be  allowed  by  its  commander  to  inaugu- 
rate amongst  a  strictly  temperate  people  a  mad  saturnalia 
of  drunkenness  that  has  scarcely  a  parallel. 

Such,  however,  is  undoubtedly  the  case,  and  I  venture 
to  think  that  these  occurrences  have  confirmed  many  of  the 
Tagals  in  their  resolve  rather  to  die  fighting  for  their 
independence  than  to  be  ruled  over  by  such  as  these. 

More  important  still  was  it  to  take  care  that  the  Tagal 
insurrection  should  not  have  been  in  vain.  That  rebellion 
probably  cost  fifty  thousand  human  lives,  immense  loss  of 
property,  and  untold  misery.  It  was  fought  against  the 
friars  and  was  at  last  triumphant.  The  Spanish  friars  had 
been  expelled  and  their  lands  confiscated.  Were  the 
Americans  to  bring  them  back  and  guarantee  them  in 
peaceable  possession,  once  more  riveting  on  the  chain  the 
Tagals  had  torn  off .? 

*  The  Abbe  de  Brantome,  whose  appreciative  remarks  upon  the 
courtesans  who  accompanied  the  Army  of  the  Duke  of  Alva  are 
quoted  by  Motley  in  'The  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic,'  would  have 
been  delighted  to  take  up  his  favourite  subject  and  chronicle  the 
following  of  the  American  Army. 


SLOW  PROGRESS   OF  THE   CAMPAIGN  115 

This  seems  to  have  been  General  Otis'  intention.  I 
think  he  might  have  stood  upon  the  accomplished  fact. 
But  he  did  not. 

The  Treaty  of  Peace  under  Article  VIII.  declares  that 
the  cession  cannot  in  any  respect  impair  the  rights  of 
ecclesiastical  bodies  to  acquire  and  possess  property,  whilst 
Article  IX.  allows  Spanish  subjects  to  remain  in  the  Islands, 
to  sell  or  dispose  of  their  property  and  to  carry  on  their 
professions.  Presumably  General  Otis  felt  bound  by  the 
Treaty  in  which  these  general  stipulations  had  been 
embodied  by  the  Peace  Commission,  in  direct  contradiction 
to  the  advice  given  them  by  Mr.  Foreman  (see  p.  463, 
55th  Congress,  3rd  Sess.,  Doc.  No.  62,  part  i),  who  pointed 
out  the  necessity  of  confiscating  these  lands,  but  Mr.  Gray 
replied  :  "  We  have  no  law  which  will  allow  us  to  arbitrarily 
do  so." 

As  soon  as  the  effect  of  the  treaty  was  known,  Arch- 
bishop Nozaleda,  who  had  fled  to  China  from  the  vengeance 
he  feared,  returned  to  Manila.  He  seemed  to  have  a  good 
deal  of  interest  with  General  Otis,  and  this  did  not  please 
the  natives,  nor  inspire  them  with  confidence. 

Furthermore,  it  was  reported  and  generally  believed  that 
the  friars'  vast  estates  had  been  purchased  by  an  American 
Syndicate  who  would  in  due  time  take  possession  and 
exploit  them. 

One  can  understand  the  Tagals'  grief  and  desperation  ; 
all  their  blood  and  tears  shed  in  vain  !  The  friars  trium- 
phant after  all ! 

I  do  not  wish  to  trace  the  particulars  of  the  wretched 
war  that  commenced  February,  1899,  and  is  still  (October, 
1900)  proceeding. 

In  it  the  Americans  do  not  seem  to  have  displayed  the 
resourcefulness  and  adaptibility  one  would  have  expected 
from  them.  For  my  part,  I  expected  a  great  deal,  for  so 
many  American  generals  being  selected  from  men  in  the 
active  exercise  of  a  profession,  or  perhaps  controlling  the 
administration  of  some  vast  business,  they  ought  naturally 
to  have  developed  their  faculties,  by  constant  use,  to  a  far 
greater  degree  than  men  who  have  vegetated  in  the  futile 
routine  of  a  barrack  or  military  station.  They  prevailed  in 
every  encounter,  but  their  advance  was  very  slow,  and  their 
troops  suffered  many  preventible  hardships.  We  know 
very  little  as  to  what  happened,  for  the  censors,  acting 
under  instructions  from  General  Otis,  prevented  the  trans- 

I  2 


ii6      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

mission  of  accurate  information  ;  nothing  was  cabled,  except 
the  accounts  of  victories  gained  by  the  American  troops. 

It  would  not  be  right,  however,  to  pass  over  the  fight- 
ing without  rendering  due  tribute  to  the  heroism  of  the 
American  officers  and  soldiers. 

Who  can  forget  Colonel  Funston's  gallant  exploit  in 
crossing  the  Rio  Grande  on  a  raft  under  fire  with  two 
companies  of  Kansas  Infantry  and  enfilading  the  Tagals' 
position  .''  Or  his  leading  part  of  same  regiment  in  a  charge 
upon  an  enemy's  earthwork  near  Santo  Tomds,  where  he 
was  wounded  .-* 

What  could  be  finer  than  the  late  Colonel  Stotsenburg's 
leading  of  the  Nebraska  regiment  in  the  attack  on  Qui'ngua, 
where  he  was  killed  ?  And  since  we  are  speaking  of  brave 
men,  shall  we  not  remember  the  late  General  Antonio  Luna 
and  his  gallant  rally  of  his  army  in  the  advance  from 
Macabebe,  when  he  fearlessly  exposed  himself  on  horse- 
back to  the  American  fire,  riding  along  the  front  of  his  line  ? 
To  justify  the  slow  progress  of  the  army,  jungles,  forests, 
swamps  and  hills  were  introduced  on  the  perfectly  flat 
arable  land  such  as  that  around  Malolos,  Calumpit,  and 
San  Fernando,  extending  in  fact  all  the  way  from  Manila 
to  Tarlac*  This  country  supports  a  dense  population,  and 
almost  every  bit  of  it  has  been  under  the  plough  for 
centuries.  The  only  hill  is  Arayat.  During  the  dry 
season,  say  from  November  to  May  or  June,  the  soil  is 
baked  quite  hard,  and  vehicles  or  guns  can  traverse  any 
part  of  it  with  slight  assistance  from  the  pioneers.  The 
only  obstacles  are  the  small  rivers  and  creeks,  mostly 
fordable,  and  having  clumps  of  bamboos  growing  on  their 
banks  providing  a  perfect  material  for  temporary  bridges 
or  for  making  rafts. 

The  campaign  was  marked  by  an  absence  of  co-opera- 
tion between  the  land  and  sea  forces.  Admiral  Dewey, 
apparently,  was  not  pleased  with  the  way  things  were 
managed,  for  he  is  said  to  have  stayed  on  board  his  ship 
for  months  at  a  time.  The  warships  remained  at  anchor 
in  Manila  Bay  whilst  arms  t  and  ammunition  were  landed 
at  the  outposts  or  on  the  coasts  without  hindrance,  and  it 
was  not  till  November  that  troops  were  landed  at  Dagupan, 

*  My  remarks  apply  to  the  accounts  published  in  the  Times. 

t  May  nth,  1899,  The  Nezo  York  Herahfs  correspondent  at 
Manila  reports  that  the  insurgents  have  succeeded  in  landing  ten 
machine  guns  on  the  island  of  Panay. 


ADVICE   OF  SIR  ANDREW  CLARKE  117 


the  northern  terminus  of  the  railway,  though  this  obviously 
ought  to  have  been  done  in  February,  so  as  to  attack  the 
enemy  front  and  rear. 

The  necessity  for  small  gunboats  soon  made  itself  felt, 
but  such  was  the  jealousy  of  the  army  towards  the  navy 
that  it  was  decided  that  these  must  be  army  gunboats,  and 
General  Otis  is  reported  to  have  purchased  thirteen  small 
gunboats  at  Zamboanga,  in  March  1899,  without  consulting 
or  informing  Admiral  Dewey  or  even  asking  for  an  escort 
for  them.  It  so  happened  that  the  Spaniards  evacuated 
Zamboanga  before  any  American  forces  arrived,  and  the 
insurgents  promptly  took  possession  of  the  gunboats 
already  paid  for  and  proceeded  to  plunder  them  of  every- 
thing useful  to  them.  A  native  account  says  that  they 
took  the  gunboats  up  the  Rio  Grande  into  the  interior,  but 
this  is  denied  by  the  Americans.  Ultimately  a  cruiser  was 
sent  down  to  convoy  the  gunboats,  and  if  I  am  correctly 
informed,  they  were  commissioned  in  charge  of  junior  naval 
officers. 

Obviously,  the  services  of  the  navy  should  have  been 
utilised  to  the  utmost  extent,  and  advantage  should  have 
been  taken  of  the  prestige  they  had  gained  by  the  victory 
over  the  Spaniards,  and  of  the  great  popularity  and 
sympathetic  personality  of  Admiral  Dewey.  A  serious 
responsibility  rests  upon  whoever  allowed  jealousy  to 
prevent  the  co-operation  of  the  land  and  sea  forces,  since 
by  failing  to  secure  this  they  needlessly  sacrificed  the  lives 
of  American  soldiers  and  prolonged  the  war. 

Lieut.-General  Sir  Andrew  Clarke,  R.E.,  a  former 
governor  of  the  Straits  Settlements,  and  the  greatest 
authority  in  England  on  the  affairs  of  the  Malay  States 
and  Islands,  was  good  enough  to  write  a  letter  which  was 
forwarded  to  Mr.  Day,  and  published  in  the  Blue  Book, 
p.  628. 

He  pointed  out  that,  although  a  moderate  military  force 
might  be  desirable  at  one  or  two  important  centres,  a  naval 
force  was  of  more  value,  especially  gunboats  able  to  move 
freely  amongst  the  islands  and  ascend  the  many  rivers  and 
inlets  of  the  sea. 

Therefore  to  the  fleet  and  its  officers  he  advised  that 
political  and  civil  administration  of  the  Philippines  should, 
at  least  in  the  first  instance,  be  entrusted.  Sir  Andrew 
believed,  and  I  venture  to  say  that  I  thoroughly  agree  with 
him,  that  amongst  the  officers  of  the  United  States  navy, 


lis      TJfK  INHABTTANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

active  and  retired,  can  be  found  many  men  of  wide  ex- 
perience, broad  views,  and  generous  sympathy  well  fitted  to 
administer  the  affairs  of  the  protectorate.  Sir  Andrew  also 
advised,  as  Foreman  did,  and  as  I  do,  that  the  members  of 
the  Religious  Orders,  i.e.,  the  Augustinians,  the  Dominicans, 
the  Franciscans,  and  the  Recollets,  should  be  advised  to 
return  to  Spain,  receiving  compensation  for  their  property. 

Sir  Andrew  Clarke  summed  up  his  advice  as  follows : 
•'  Enlist  native  sympathy  by  fairness  and  justice,  and  rule 
through  native  agents,  supervised  by  carefully  selected 
American  residents." 

As  the  fleet,  by  destroying  the  Spanish  squadron,  had 
rendered  it  possible  to  bring  troops  by  sea,  and  by  capturing 
the  arsenal  and  blockading  the  Port  of  Manila,  had  in- 
vigorated the  insurrection,  and  in  fact  had  brought  about 
the  cession  of  the  islands  by  Spain,  it  would  appear  to 
outsiders  that  it  and  its  officers  had  a  strong  claim  to  the 
leading  part  in  completing  the  settlement  and  pacification 
of  the  Archipelago  for  which  the  best  authorities  considered 
them  to  possess  special  qualifications.  Besides,  if  peace 
was  really  wanted,  it  would  have  been  better  to  entrust  the 
negotiations  to  the  man  who  had  had  his  fight  rather  than 
to  one  looking  for  his  chance.  The  craze  for  military 
renown  is  nowhere  more  rampant  than  in  the  United 
States.  Occasions  are  few  and  far  between,  and  we  must 
not  expect  generals  to  throw  them  away  and  fly  in  the  face 
of  Providence. 

This,  however,  did  not  commend  itself  to  those  who 
pull  the  strings  ;  we  ignore  the  reasons,  but  we  see  the 
result.  Perhaps  it  was  thought  that  to  allow  Dewey  to 
add  to  his  victor's  laurel  wreath  the  palm  of  the  pacificator 
would  be  too  much  honour  for  one  man,  and  might  raise 
him  to  an  inconvenient  height  in  the  estimation  of  his 
fellow  citizens, 

A  year  and  twenty  days  after  his  decisive  victory 
Admiral  Dewey  sailed  from  Manila  in  his  flagship. 
Wherever  the  British  ensign  flew  he  was  received  with 
every  derQ#nstration  of  honour  and  respect  both  by  naval 
and  militaiy  officers  and  by  civilians.  His  reception  in 
New  York  was  marked  by  an  almost  delirious  enthusiasm. 
But  long  before  he  arrived,  Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid,  disgusted 
with  the  conduct  of  the  campaign,  made  a  speech  at  the 
Miami  University  and  denounced  the  President  for  neglect 
of  duty  which  brought  on  the  war  in  the  Philippines. 


MR.    WHITELAW  RE  ID'S  DENUNCIATIONS       119 


He  said  :  "  If  the  bitterest  enemy  of  the  United  States 
had  sought  to  bring  upon  it  in  that  quarter  the  greatest 
trouble  in  the  shortest  time,  he  could  have  devised  for  that 
•end  no  policy  more  successful  than  the  one  we  have  already 
pursued."  It  must  be  added  that  Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid, 
perhaps  to  prevent  being  accused  of  having  sympathy  with 
the  enemy,  denounced  Aguinaldo  and  the  Tagals  as  rebels, 
savages  and  treacherous  barbarians,  unfit  for  citizenship  or 
self-government,  and  declared  that  the  Philippines  belong 
to  America  by  right  of  conquest. 

I  suppose  Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid,  or  perhaps  any  citizen 
of  the  United  States,  has  a  right  to  denounce  his  own 
President,  and  certainly  the  management  of  the  Philippine 
annexation  has  been  bad  from  the  beginning. 

But  I  think  Mr.  McKinley  was  badly  served  by  the 
Peace  Commission.  They  seem  to  me  to  have  made 
many  and  egregious  mistakes. 

1.  They  took  General  Merritt's  opinion  that  the  Tagals 
would  submit,  and  accepted  Mr.  Foreman's  assurance  of 
Tagal  plasticity  and  accommodating  nature. 

2.  They  disregarded  the  intimation  of  D.  Felipe 
Agoncillo,  the  accredited  agent  of  the  Tagals,  that  these 
would  accept  no  settlement  to  which  they  were  not  parties. 

3.  They  treated  several  millions  of  civilised  Christian 
people  like  a  herd  of  cattle  to  be  purchased  with  the 
ranch. 

4.  Under  Article  VIII.,  they  guaranteed  the  religious 
orders  the  possession  of  estates  already  taken  from  them. 

5.  Under  Article  IX.,  they  gave  the  expelled  friars  the 
right  to  return  and  exercise  their  profession. 

To  illustrate  their  careless  procedure,  I  may  add  that 
they  did  not  even  accurately  determine  the  boundaries  of 
the  Archipelago  to  be  ceded,  and  now,  in  August  1900, 
$100,000  is  to  be  paid  to  Spain  for  Sibutu  and  Cagayan 
Siibi  Islands,  left  out  by  mistake.  If  any  man  has  a  right 
to  say,  "  Save  me  from  my  friends,"  that  man  is  William 
McKinley. 

As  regards  Aguinaldo  and  the  Tagals,  I  think  that 
Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid's  irritation  at  their  protracted  resistance 
has  led  him  on  too  far.  I  prefer  the  opinion  of  Senator 
Hoar,  who,  speaking  in  the  Senate  of  three  proclamations 
of  Aguinaldo,  said  :  "  Mr.  President,  these  are  three  of  the 
greatest  state  papers  in  all  history.  If  they  were  found  in 
our  own  history  of  our  own  revolutionary  time  we  should 


I20      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


be  proud  to  have  them  stand  by  the  side  of  those  great 
state  papers  which  Chatham  declared  were  equal  to  the 
masterpieces  of  antiquity." 

In  the  same  speech  he  says,  and  I  commend  his  words 
to  the  reader's  attention :  "  Mr.  President,  there  is  one 
mode  by  which  the  people  of  the  Philippine  Islands  could 
establish  the  truth  of  the  charges  as  to  their  degradation 
and  incapacity  for  self-government  which  have  been  made 
by  the  advocates  of  Imperialism  in  this  debate,  and  that 
mode  is  by  submitting  tamely  and  without  resistance  to  the 
dominion  of  the  United  States." 

Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid,  however,  was  perfectly  right  in  one 
thing.  The  Philippines  belong  (or  will  belong)  to  America 
by  right  of  conquest.  On  August  28th,  1899,  Mr.  McKinley 
addressed  the  loth  Pennsylvania  Regiment  at  Pittsburgh 
soon  after  their  arrival  from  Manila.  He  said :  "  The 
insurgents  struck  the  first  blow.  They  reciprocated  our 
kindness  with  cruelty,  our  mercy  *  with  Mausers. . . .  They 
assailed  our  sovereignty,  and  there  will  be  no  useless  parley 
until  the  insurrection  is  suppressed  and  American  authority 
acknowledged  and  established.  The  Philippines  are  ours 
as  much  as  Louisiana,  by  purchase,  or  Texas,  or  Alaska." 
Here  we  get  down  to  the  bed  rock,  and  discard  all  flimsy 
pretences.  The  Americans  have  undertaken  a  war  of 
conquest,  they  bought  it  in  fact,  but  I  fear  they  are  not 
happy  either  about  its  material  progress  or  its  moral 
aspect.  We  shall  have  to  wait  till  November  to  see  what 
they  think  about  it. 

But  whenever  the  cost  in  lost  lives,  ruined  health,  and 
shattered  minds,  to  say  nothing  of  dollars,  comes  to  be 
known,  there  will  be  a  great  outcry  in  America. 

Mr.  McKinley  and  his  advisers  are  much  to  be  pitied, 
for  they  were  misled  by  the  information  given  them  by 
those  they  relied  on. 

The  False  Prophets  of  the  Philippines. 

Here  is  an  extract  from  General  Merritt's  evidence 
taken  from  the  Blue  Book,  fifty-sixth  congress,  third  session, 
document  No.  62,  part  i,  p.  7,67 : 

Mr.  Reid:  Do  you  think  any  danger  of  conflict  is  now  reasonably 
remote  ? 

*  The  kindness  and  mercy  are  not  obvious. 


TAGAL   OPINION  OF  AMERICAN  RULE  \zi 

General  Merritt :  I  think  there  is  no  danger  of  conflict  as  long  as 
these  people  think  the  United  States  is  going  to  take  possession  there. 
If  they  imagine  or  hear  from  any  source  that  the  Spaniards  are  to  be 
reinstated  there,  I  think  they  will  be  very  violent. 

Mr.  Davis  :  Suppose  the  United  States,  by  virtue  of  a  treaty  with 
Spain,  should  take  Luzon  .  .  .  paying  no  attention  to  the  insurgents — 
how  would  that  be  taken  by  Aguinaldo  ? 

Geficral  Merritt :  I  think  Aguinaldo  and  his  immediate  following 
would  resist  it  ;  but  whether  he  could  resist  to  any  extent  I  do  not 
know,  because  his  forces  are  divided.  I  believe  that,  as  matters  go, 
Aguinaldo  will  lose  more  or  less  of  his  power  there. 

Tlie  Chairvian :  If  the  United  States  should  say,  We  will  take 
this  country  and  govern  it  our  own  way,  do  you  think  they  would 
submit  to  it  ? 

Getieral  Merritt :  Yes,  sir. 

Mr.  Davis:  How  many  troops  in  your  opinion  will  be  necessary 
to  administer  the  government  of  this  island — to  secure  the  administra- 
tion of  our  government  there  ? 

General  Merritt:  From  20,000  to  25,000  would  be  requisite  at 
first. 

I  admire  the  conviction  of  this  distinguished  officer  that 
the  benefits  of  American  rule  would  be  highly  appreciated 
by  the  Tagals,  of  whom,  by-the-bye,  he  knew  next  to 
nothing,  having  only  been  a  few  weeks  in  Manila  amongst 
sycophantic  Mestizo- Americanistas. 

That  interesting  people  were,  however,  of  a  different 
opinion.  On  p.  4582  of  the  'Congressional  Record,'  I  find 
that  Seiior  Mabini,  in  a  manifesto  published  at  San  Isidro, 
April  15th,  1899,  states  that  "race  hatred  is  much  more 
cniel  and  pitiless  among  the  Anglo-Saxons "  (he  is  com- 
paring them  with  the  Spaniards).  Again  he  says,  "An- 
nexation, in  whatever  form  it  may  be  adopted,  will  unite 
us  for  ever  to  a  nation  whose  manners  and  customs  are 
different  from  our  own,  a  nation  which  Jiates  tJie  coloitrcd 
race  with  a  mortal  hatred,  and  from  which  we  could  never 
separate  ourselves  except  by  war."  The  outbreaks  against 
the  negroes  that  have  recently  happened  [August,  1900]  in 
New  Orleans,  Liberty  City,  Georgia,  and  in  New  York, 
seem  to  justify  Senor  Mabini's  remarks. 

Don  Macario  Adriatico,  in  an  answer  to  a  message  of 
General  Miller,  writing  from  Jaro,  January  3rd,  1900,  says  : 
"  It  could  easily  be  conceived  that  the  Philippines  would 
not  suffer  a  new  reign,  least  of  all  of  a  nation  on  whose 
conscience  the  curse  of  the  Redskins  rests  as  a  heavy  load!' 

In  other  documents  they  refer  to  the  probable  action  of 
the  Trusts,  and  anticipate  that,  what  with  the  Sugar  Trust, 
the  Tobacco  Trust,  and  the  Hemp  Trust,  they  would  soon 


122      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

find  themselves  reduced  to  the  condition  of  porters  and 
workmen,  or  even  of  domestic  servants. 

They  seem  to  have  an  intelligent  anticipation  of  what 
will  probably  befall  them  when  conquered,  and  hence  their 
desperate  resistance  to  a  large  American  army. 

But  let  us  now  turn  up  the  evidence  of  another  expert 
on  the  Philippines,  Mr.  John  Foreman,  who  also  ventured 
to  prophesy  what  the  Tagals  would  do  (Blue  Book,  before 
mentioned,  p.  443). 

Mr.  Foreman  (answering  Mr.  Day)  :  "  The  Tagals  are  of  a  very 
plastic  nature,  willing  in  their  nature  {sic),  I  should  say,  to  accommo- 
date themselves  and  take  up  any  new  established  dominion  which 
might  be  decided  upon,  and  I  think  they  would  fall  into  any  new 
system  adopted. 

"The  inhabitants  of  the  Central  Islands  or  Visayas  are  more 
uncouth,  decidedly  less  hospitable,  and  somewhat  more  averse  to 
associations  and  relations  with  outsiders  than  the  Tagals,  but  I 
think  they  would  easily  come  under  sway.  They  want  a  little  more 
pressure  and  would  have  to  be  guided,  more  closely  watched,  and 
perhaps  a  little  more  of  the  iron  hand  used  than  in  Luzon." 

Thus  was  the  administration  in  Washington  misled,  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  American  military  chiefs  reported 
that  they  could  easily  overcome  all  opposition,  so  they  were 
allowed  to  try. 

Yet  in  June,  1900,  we  read,  "The  recall  of  General  Otis 
is  taken  to  mean  that  the  administration  considers  the  war 
to  be  at  an  end,  and  that  there  is  no  longer  any  necessity 
for  military  rule." 

General  McArthur  is  appointed  to  the  command,  how- 
ever, and  the  first  thing  he  does  is  to  cable  to  Washington 
for  more  troops,  whilst  Admiral  Remey  asks  for  an  extra 
battalion  of  marines.  These  are  to  be  sent,  also  at  least 
three  regiments  of  infantry.  Sixty-five  thousand  men  and 
forty  ships  of  war  are  now  admitted  to  be  the  proper 
garrison  to  hold  down  the  Philippines. 

However  necessary  reinforcements  may  be,  so  deep  is 
the  racial  antipathy  between  the  United  States'  soldiers, 
white  or  black,  and  the  natives,  that  every  additional  man 
sent  out  is  a  source  of  disaff"ection,  and  even  exasperation. 
Not  only  will  the  volunteers  become  demoralised  and 
diseased  in  mind  and  body  by  their  sojourn  in  America's 
new  possession,  but  the  very  fact  of  their  presence  renders 
the  pacification  of  the  country  more  difficult.  The  more 
troops  are  kept  there,  the  more  discontented  the  natives 
will  be. 


THE    TAFT  COMMISSION  123 


To  bring  this  chapter  up  to  date,  the  position  seems  to 
be  as  follows  :  There  is  a  recrudescence  of  activity  amongst 
the  insurgents  ;  fighting  is  going  on  over  a  great  part  of  the 
Archipelago,  the  American  troops  are  harassed  and  over- 
worked, sickness  is  rife,  including  the  bubonic  plague  ;  yet, 
notwithstanding  all  this,  the  Taft  Commission  has  taken 
over  the  administration  of  the  islands  from  September  ist. 

The  date  fixed  is  not  a  convenient  one  for  the  Com- 
mission, as  it  is  in  the  middle  of  the  rainy  season,  but  it 
has  probably  been  selected  to  suit  the  presidential 
campaign  in  America. 

Aguinaldo  has  issued  a  proclamation  warning  the 
Filipinos  against  the  Taft  Commission,  which,  he  says, 
has  no  authority  from  Congress  ;  does  not  represent  the 
sentiments  of  the  American  people,  and  is  simply  the 
personal  instrument  of  Mr.  McKinley  sent  out  to  make 
promises  which  it  has  no  power  to  keep,  and  which  the 
United  States  Government  will  not  be  bound  to  observe. 
He  denounces  the  Americanistas,  and  threatens  condign 
punishment  to  all  who  accept  offices  under  the  Commission. 
It  would  appear  that  a  settlement  on  present  lines  is  still 
some  way  off". 

Judge  Taft  seems  to  have  inherited  the  cheerful 
optimism  of  General  Otis.  On  September  1st  he  reported 
that  the  insurrection  is  virtually  ended,  and  on  20th  for- 
warded another  favourable  report.  On  21st,  General 
McArthur  cabled  accounts  of  engagements  in  several 
provinces  of  Luzon.  The  American  troops  at  Pekin  are 
being  hurried  to  Manila,  as  the  reinforcement  of  General 
McArthur  is  absolutely  imperative. 


124      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

NATIVE  ADMIRATION    FOR   AMERICA. 

Their  fears  of  a  corrupt  government — The  islands  might  be  an  earthly- 
paradise — Wanted,  the  man — Kajah  Brooke — Sir  Andrew  Clarke 
— Hugh  Clifford  —  John  Nicholson  —  Charles  Gordon  —  Evelyn 
Baring — Mistakes  of  the  Peace  Commission — Government  should 
be  a  protectorate — Fighting  men  should  be  made  governors — 
What  might  have  been  —  The  Malay  race  —  Senator  Hoar's 
speech — Four  years'  slaughter  of  the  Tagals. 

Not  a  few  of  the  natives  in  arms  were,  and  still  are,  sincere 
admirers  of  the  true  greatness  of  the  United  States.  The 
noble  deeds  and  words  of  America's  great  men  attain  the 
summit  of  human  grandeur  in  their  fervid  imaginations. 

The  statesmen  and  the  historians  of  the  great  Republic 
receive  their  tribute  of  praise  from  Filipino  lips. 

The  names  of  Washington,  Lincoln,  Prescott,  Motley, 
are  known  and  honoured  by  them.  Were  the  natives 
treated  according  to  the  immortal  principles  of  right  and 
justice  laid  down  or  praised  by  such  as  these,  they  would 
welcome  the  tutelage,  and,  in  fact,  all  Asia  might  envy 
them. 

But  they  will  never  consent  to  become  the  prey  of  the 
politician,  the  boss,  the  monopolist,  and  the  carpet-bagger, 
and  from  these  they  must  be  assured  of  protection  before 
they  will  submit. 

What  confidence  can  they  have  in  a  form  of  government 
under  which  the  tariffs  on  their  great  staples  will  be  made 
in  the  interests  of  their  American  competitors. 

Under  such  a  system,  and  with  a  pension  list  steadily 
growing  by  millions  of  dollars  year  by  year,  their  comfort- 
able competence  would,  in  a  few  years,  be  reduced  to  the 
hideous  poverty  of  over-taxed  British  India. 

Having  passed  so  many  years  amongst  this  people,  I 
may  be  expected  to  give  some  opinion  as  to  whether  the 
Philippines  can  be  governed  by  America. 


AN  EARTHLY  PARADISE  125 

The  islands  were  badly  governed  by  Spain,  yet 
Spaniards  and  natives  lived  together  in  great  harmony, 
and  I  do  not  know  where  I  could  find  a  colony  in  which 
the  Europeans  mixed  as  much  socially  with  the  natives. 
Not  in  Java,  where  a  native  of  position  must  dismount  to 
salute  the  humblest  Dutchman.  Not  in  British  India, 
where  the  Englishwoman  has  now  made  the  gulf  between 
British  and  native  into  a  bottomless  pit. 

It  will  be  difficult  for  the  Americans  to  avoid  this  social 
ostracism  of  the  natives,  and  in  this  respect  they  are  not 
likely  to  do  as  well  as  the  Spaniards,  being  less  tolerant. 

As  regards  the  administration  of  the  government,  no 
doubt  great  improvements  can  be  made  ;  but  I  abstain 
from  prophecy,  remembering  Merritt's  and  Foreman's  want 
of  success  in  that  line.  There  is  certainly  a  wonderful 
opportunity  to  show  the  world  how  to  govern  a  tropical 
protectorate  or  dependency. 

So  rich  a  country  with  so  intelligent  and  industrious  a 
population  only  requires  good  guidance  to  make  it  an 
earthly  paradise.  But  the  guidance  should  be  given  by 
the  gentle  hand  of  an  elder  sister,  and  not  by  the  boot  of  a 
frontier  ruffian. 

Much  as  our  officials  praise  the  administration  of  the 
Indian  Empire,  I  think  it  quite  possible  with  a  few  years  of 
disinterested  tutelage  to  weld  the  Philippines  into  a  nation, 
more  united,  freer,  happier,  richer  and  better  educated,  than 
the  finest  state  in  that  vast  possession.  What  is  wanted  is 
THE  MAN,  no  stubborn  and  tactless  general  "spoiling  for  a 
fight,"  harsh,  peremptory,  overbearing,  but  a  civilian  of  the 
highest  rank,  or  a  naval  officer,  one  of  America's  very  best, 
full  of  sympathy,  tact  and  patience,  yet  firm  as  Stonewall 
Jackson.  He  must  have  a  gracious  presence,  and  "  mag- 
netism "  in  the  highest  degree,  for  he  must  rule  by  personal 
influence,  by  inspiring  confidence  and  affection. 

Not  otherwise  did  Rajah  Brooke  obtain  his  election  to 
the  sovereignty  of  Sarawak  ;  Sir  Andrew  Clarke  pacify  the 
Malay  Peninsula  ;  nor  is  it  otherwise  that  Hugh  Clifford  is 
leading  the  Malays  of  North  Borneo  to  peaceful  pursuits. 

The  man,  when  found,  must  be  invested  with  absolute 
power,  and  be  backed  up  by  all  the  forces  of  the  Republic. 

The  British  Government  gave  America  an  example  of 
what  to  avoid  when  it  sacrificed  Governor  Eyre,  of  Jamaica, 
to  a  shrieking  gang  of  pseudo-philanthropists,  when,  in  a 
great  emergency,  whilst  the  honour  of  white  women  and 


126     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  lives  of  men  were  at  the  mercy  of  a  mob  of  negroes,  he 
omitted  some  legal  technicality  before  hanging  one  of  the 
cowardly  instigators. 

However,  I  do  not  think  America  will  go  back  on  her 
sons  like  that. 

Great  Britain  has  produced  some  men  who  could  have 
taken  up  the  burden  of  the  Philippines.  It  happens  that 
the  three  I  shall  cite  were  all  soldiers,  but  their  extra- 
ordinary magnetic  qualities  by  no  means  proceeded  from 
their  profession. 

The  God-like  man  who  died  at  Delhi,  the  beloved  of 
John  Lawrence,  would  have  made  an  ideal  ruler :  the 
people  would  have  worshipped  him. 

The  hero  who  died  at  Khartoum  could  have  ruled  the 
Philippines,  or  any  Asiatic  or  African  country,  and  the 
people  would  have  loved  him. 

To  quote  one  who  is  still  with  us.  Lord  Cromer  has 
coped  with  difficulties  of  a  different  kind,  yet,  perhaps,  as 
great  as  those  of  the  Philippines,  and  in  a  few  years  has 
changed  the  face  of  the  land  of  Pharaoh,  and  lightened  the 
lot  of  millions.  This  has  been  done  by  the  assistance  of  a 
few  engineers,  administrators,  judges  and  soldiers.  He  and 
all  of  them  have  displayed  the  most  unfailing  tact  and 
patience,  indomitable  courage  and  fortitude,  and  each  has 
put  honour  and  duty  before  all.  Men  like  John  Nicholson, 
Charles  Gordon  and  Evelyn  Baring,  are  rare,  but  their 
peers  doubtless  exist  amongst  Americans  of  the  good  old 
colonial  stock,  and  it  is  the  President's  business  to  find 
them,  and  send  them  out  to  protect  and  govern  America's 
great  dependency. 

America  has,  I  suppose,  taken  these  islands  from  Spain, 
to  save  them  from  the  ruthless  *  Teuton,  and  to  show  the 
world  that  she  can  do  for  the  Philippines  what  we  have 
done  for  Egypt.  Unfortunately,  she  began  wrong  by 
treating  with  Spain,  and  buying  the  islands,  as  if  the 
natives  were  cattle  on  a  ranch. 

Then  the  Peace  Committee  went  wrong  over  the  estates 
of  the  Religious  Orders,  as  before  explained. 

In  my  opinion,  the  form  of  government  should  be  a 
protectorate,  varying  in  character  with  the  civilisation  of 
the  different  islands,  the  executive  functions  being  in  the 
hands  of  the  natives  whenever  possible,  but  under  inspection 

*  I  think,  in  view  of  the  German  atrocities  in  Africa,  including, 
many  cases  of  flogging  women,  that  this  epithet  is  well  earned. 


WHAT  MIGHT  HAVE  BEEN  127 


to  prevent  abuses.  On  this  basis  peace  could,  I  think,  be 
made,  and  then  America  should  remember  that  the  most 
worthy  of  the  natives  are  precisely  those  who  have  been  in 
arms  for  their  freedom.  Their  chiefs  (with  one  or  two 
exceptions),  are  the  men  who  should  be  appointed  to 
govern  provinces,  and  the  fighting-men  enrolled  in  the 
native  army. 

No  offices  of  government  should  be  given  to  the  so- 
called  Americanistas,  who  are  mostly  people  who  need 
not  be  taken  into  account,  and  whose  support  is  worth 
nothing.  They  will  go  on  with  their  pettifogging  and  their 
pawnbroking,  and  that  is  enough  reward  for  them.  They 
are  Americanistas  because  they  cannot  help  themselves, 
and  not  from  any  attachment  to  American  ways.  Formerly 
the  Spaniards  protected  them  ;  now  the  American  bayonets 
stand  between  them  and  the  Tagal  do/os. 

Without  this,  well  they  know  that  what  happened  to 
the  mulattos  in  Hayti  would  surely  happen  to  them  sooner 
or  later — perhaps  sooner. 

It  is,  indeed,  sad  to  see  what  is,  and  to  think  what 
might  have  been  accomplished  by  a  little  patience,  a  little 
forbearance,  a  tinge  of  sympathy,  for  a  gallant  people 
struggling  for  freedom  and  light.  But  no  patience  was 
vouchsafed  to  them,  no  forbearance  was  shown  them,  nor 
can  I  discover  in  what  has  been  done  the  faintest  sign  of 
sympathy  for  them. 

Yet  the  Malay  race  can  claim  to  have  enlisted  the 
sympathies  of  some  not  undistinguished  men.  Rajah 
Brooke,  Spenser  St.  John,  Hugh  Clifford,  Professor  Blumen- 
tritt,  Louis  Becke,  Joseph  Conrad — the  names  that  first 
occur  to  me — have  all  confessed  to  an  affection  for  them. 
The  old  Spanish  conquerors  speak  of  their  dignified 
courtesy  and  gentle  manners. 

There  are,  however,  in  America,  generous  souls  who 
can  judge  the  Tagals  fairly  and  even  indulgently.  I  do- 
not  allude  to  those  who  raise  a  clamour  to  discredit  the 
administration  for  political  purposes,  but  to  the  noble, 
eloquent,  and  truly  patriotic  speech,  inspired  in  the  best 
traditions  of  the  United  States,  delivered  by  Mr.  Hoar  in 
the  Senate  on  April  17th.  I  hope  that  touching  appeal  to 
the  national  conscience  will  bear  fruit,  and  that,  by  the 
exercise  of  true  statesmanship,  an  end  may  be  put  to  this 
dreadful  war,  and  a  pacification  effected  satisfactory  to 
Filipinos  and  Americans. 


128      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

For  four  long  years,  slaughter  and  destruction  have 
ravaged  one  of  the  fairest  lands  on  earth,  converting  what 
might  be  a  paradise  into  a  pandemonium. 

What  evils  have  these  poor  Tagals  not  suffered  in  that 
time  ?  Arbitrary  imprisonment,  torture,  confiscation  of 
property,  banishment  to  unhealthy  places,  military  execu- 
tions, bombardments,  the  storming  and  burning  of  towns, 
indiscriminate  slaughter,  and  the  bubonic  plague,  added  to 
the  calamities  they  are  always  exposed  to — volcanic  erup- 
tions, floods,  earthquakes,  typhoons,  locusts,  epidemics. 

Famine  seems  to  be  the  only  calamity  they  have  been 
free  from,  but  even  that  may  not  be  far  distant. 


(      129      ) 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

RESOURCES   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES. 

At  the  Spanish  conquest — ^Rice — the  lowest  use  the  land  can  be  put 
to — How  the  Americans  are  misled — Substitutes  for  rice — Wheat 
formerly  grown — Tobacco — Compafiia  General  de  Tabacos — 
Abacd, — Practically  a  monopoly  of  the  Philippines — Sugar — Coffee 
— Cacao — Indigo — Cocoa-nut  oil— Rafts  of  nuts — Copra — True 
localities  for  cocoa  palm  groves — Summary — More  sanguine  fore- 
casts— Common- sense  view. 

Agrictiltiiral. 

The  great  wealth  of  the  Archipelago  is  undoubtedly  to  be 
found  in  the  development  of  its  agriculture.  Although  the 
Central  and  Ilocan  Mountains  in  Luzon  and  parts  of  Min- 
danao are  rich  in  gold,  it  is  the  fertile  land,  the  heavy  rain- 
fall and  the  solar  heat,  that  must  be  utilized  to  permanently 
enrich  the  country,  The  land  is  there  and  the  labour  is 
there,  and  all  that  is  wanting  is  capital,  and  a  settled 
government  that  will  make  roads  and  bridges  and  keep 
them  in  repair,  clear  the  rivers  of  obstructions  and  improve 
the  ports,  and  above  all,  establish  and  maintain  some  toler- 
able courts  of  justice.  The  sun,  the  rain,  the  soil,  and 
the  hardy  Philippine  farmer  will  do  the  rest — a  popula- 
tion equal  to  that  of  Java  could  live  in  affluence  in  the 
Philippines, 

The  agriculture  of  the  Philippines  at  the  time  of  the 
first  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  consisted  mainly  in  the  culti- 
vation of  rice.  It  is  to  the  Spaniards  that  the  natives  owe 
the  introduction  of  maize,  coffee,  cacao,  sesame,  tobacco,  the 
indigo  plant,  the  sweet  potato,  and  many  fruits.  They  also 
imported  horses,  horned  cattle,  and  sheep.  But  the  great 
development  of  the  cultivation  of  sugar  and  hemp  is  almost 
entirely  due  to  British  capital,  with  some  assistance  from 
Americans. 

The  natives  probably  learned  from  the  Chinese  how  to 

K 


I30      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

terrace  the  hillsides  and  the  sloping  lands,  and  how  to  erect 
the  pildpilcs,  or  small  dykes,  for  retaining  the  rain.  At 
that  time,  and  for  centuries  after,  taxes  were  paid  in  paddy 
as  they  have  been  in  Japan  until  quite  recently. 

Under  the  heading  "  Tagals,"  a  description  is  given  of 
the  planting  of  paddy,  and  an  illustration  shows  the  aspect 
of  a  newly-planted  paddy-field  or  tubigan.  Mountain  rice- 
lands  are  called  bacores  or  dalatanes.  The  cutting  and 
harvesting  of  paddy  is  paid  for  in  kind,  sometimes  in 
Camarines  Sur,  a  third  of  the  crop  is  given  for  getting 
it  in,  but  in  the  province  of  Manila  it  is  cultivated  in  equal 
shares  to  the  farmer  and  the  owner  of  the  land. 

By  looking  at  the  illustration  it  will  be  seen  that,  the 
fields  being  divided  into  such  small  patches  of  irregular 
shapes  at  different  levels,  it  would  be  difficult,  if  not  im- 
possible, to  use  a  reaping-machine.  I  have  elsewhere  given 
the  reasons  for  my  opinion  that  the  cultivation  of  rice  is  the 
lowest  use  that  the  land  and  the  husbandmen  can  be  put  to, 
and  whenever  the  cultivation  is  given  up,  it  is  probably  an 
indication  that  the  cultivators  are  raising  some  more  profit- 
able crop,  and  earning  money  by  exporting  valuable  pro- 
duce, wherewith  to  import  rice  from  countries  in  a  lower 
stage  of  civilisation. 

This  is  most  certainly  the  case  in  the  Philippines,  and 
year  by  year,  as  the  exports  of  hemp,  sugar  and  tobacco 
have  increased,  the  imports  of  rice  from  Saigon  and  Rangoon 
have  risen  correspondingly.  And  yet  the  United  States' 
Department  of  Agriculture,  issued  in  the  latter  part  of  1899 
a  circular  with  the  title, '  Plant  Products  of  the  Philippines,'  * 
which,  amongst  other  inaccurate  appreciations,  says :  "  It 
seems  strange  that  an  almost  exclusively  agricultural 
country  should  not  produce  enough  food  for  its  own 
population,  but  such  is  at  present  the  case  with  regard  to 
the  Philippines."  It  proceeds  to  say  that  in  some  years  the 
value  of  rice  imported  into  Manila  from  Saigon  was  valued 
at  $2,000,000.  But  I  would  point  out  to  the  author  of  that 
circular  that  the  export  of  the  three  great  staples  of  the 
Philippines  in  those  years  averaged,  perhaps,  $30,000,000, 

*  In  making  these  remarks,  I  am  not  in  any  way  desirous  of 
depreciating  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  for  I  hold  the  belief 
that  its  reports  are  written  with  exceptional  abihty.  But  this  circular 
bears  internal  evidence  of  having  been  written  by  some  person, 
perhaps  a  consul,  unfamiHar  with  Philippine  agriculture,  and  pub- 
lished without  correction. 


RESOURCES:    TOBACCO  131 

and  this,  evidently,  could  not  have  been  accomplished  if 
they  had  cultivated  their  own  rice. 

The  Spaniards  sometimes  raised  this  same  groundless 
clamour,  and,  perhaps,  the  author  of  the  circular  took  it 
from  them  ;  but  I  look  upon  it  as  a  great  mistake  arising 
from  insufficient  knowledge  of  the  subject.  The  rice  im- 
ported into  Manila  is  largely  shipped  to  the  tobacco  and 
hemp  provinces,  Cagayan  and  Albay,  where  the  people  are 
exclusively  employed  in  the  cultivation  and  preparation  of 
those  valuable  products,  and  are  far  richer,  and  on  a  higher 
grade  of  civilisation  than  the  rice-growers  of  Cochin  China. 

In  the  Philippines  themselves,  the  people  of  the  rice- 
growing  districts  are  the  poorest  and  most  backward  of  all. 

Besides  paddy,  the  natives  cultivate  the  dava  or  mijo 
{Paniaim  miliaceuni),  the  mongo,  a  species  of  lentil  {Phaseo- 
liis  miingo),  called  in  some  provinces  balat  or  balatong,  for 
their  own  consumption. 

When  rice  is  dear,  they  mix  a  certain  amount  of  maize 
with  it,  and  when  it  is  really  scarce  they  eat  the  seeds  of 
the  sorghum  {Helens  saccharatiis)  instead  of  it.  They  also 
make  an  infusion  of  these  seeds,  which  is  not  unlike  barley- 
water.  The  camote  {Ivipovioea  batata)  is  the  principal  food 
of  the  more  uncivilised  tribes. 

All  the  natives  find  a  great  resource  in  the  banana, 
which  the  Tagals  called  saguin.  The  following  varieties 
are  excellent  :  Bungulan,  Lacatan,  Ternate,  and  Tindoc. 

Wheat  was  formerly  grown  in  northern  Luzon.  The 
late  Archbishop  of  Manila,  Fray  Pedro  Payo,  informed 
me  that,  when  he  was  a  parish  priest  years  ago,  he  always 
ate  bread  made  from  Philippine  flour,  which  he  thought 
far  better  and  safer  than  the  Californian  flour  that  had 
superseded  it.  -...^ 

Tobacco  is  an  important  crop  in  the  Philippines,  and 
from  the  year  1781  was  cultivated  in  Cagayan  as  a  govern- 
ment monopoly.  In  the  villages  of  that  province  the  people 
were  called  out  by  beat  of  drum  and  marched  to  the  fields 
under  the  gobernadorcillo  and  principales,  who  were  re- 
sponsible for  the  careful  ploughing,  planting,  weeding,  and 
tending,  the  work  being  overlooked  by  Spanish  officials. 
Premiums  were  paid  to  these  and  to  the  gobernadorcillos, 
and  fines  or  floggings  were  administered  in  default.  The 
native  officials  carried  canes,  which  they  freely  applied  to 
those  who  shirked  their  work. 

In  another  part  of  the  book  I  have  referred  to  the  series 

K  2 


132      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

of  abuses  committed  under  the  monopoly  :  how  the  wretched 
cultivators  had  to  bribe  the  officials  in  charge  of  the  scales 
to  allow  them  the  true  weight,  and  the  one  who  classified 
the  leaves,  so  that  he  should  not  reject  them  as  rubbish  and 
order  them  to  be  destroyed ;  in  fact,  they  had  to  tip  every  offi- 
cial in  whose  power  it  was  to  do  them  any  injustice.  Finally, 
they  received  orders  on  the  treasury  for  the  value  of  their 
tobacco,  which  were  not  paid  for  months,  or,  perhaps,  for 
years.  They  sometimes  had  to  sell  their  orders  for  50  per 
cent,  of  the  face  value,  or  even  less. 

However,  even  the  Spanish  official  conscience  can  be 
aroused,  and  at  the  end  of  1882  the  monopoly  was 
abolished. 

Here  it  is  only  right  to  honourably  mention  a  Spanish 
gentleman  to  whom  the  natives  of  the  Cagayan  Valley 
in  a  great  measure  owe  their  freedom.  Don  Jose  Jimenez 
Agius  was  Intendente  General  de  Hacienda,  and  he 
laboured  for  years  to  bring  about  this  reform,  impressed 
with  the  cruelty  and  injustice  of  this  worst  form  of 
slavery.  The  Cagayanes  were  prohibited  from  growing 
rice,  but  were  allowed  as  an  indulgence  to  plant  a  row 
or  two  of  maize  around  their  carefully  tilled  tobacco- 
fields. 

Possibly  this  circumstance  has  led  the  author  of  the 
circular  I  have  before  quoted  to  make  the  extraordinary 
statement :  "  Tobacco,  as  a  cultivated  crop,  is  generally 
grown  in  the  same  field  as  maize."  Does  he  think  it  grows 
wild  anywhere  .'' 

In  1883,  the  "  Compailia  General  de  Tabacos  de  Fili- 
pinas "  was  established  in  the  islands,  the  capital  being 
raised  in  Paris  and  Barcelona. 

This  Company  has  been  under  very  capable  manage- 
ment ;  the  technical  department  being  overlooked  by  M. 
Armand  Villemer,  a  French  engineer  of  great  ability  and 
experience.  The  Company  has  done  a  great  deal  to  im- 
prove the  cultivation  of  the  plant  and  the  preparation  of  the 
leaf.  They  run  light  draught  paddle-steamers  and  barges 
on  the  Cagayan  River,  and  sea-going  screw-steamers  from 
Aparri  to  Manila. 

Their  estates  are  mentioned  under  the  heading  "  Caga- 
yanes." 

Besides  the  Cagayan  Valley,  the  following  Provinces 
produce  tobacco  in  considerable  quantities. 

In  Luzon,  the  Ilocos  North  and  South,  Abra,  Union, 


RESOURCES:    TOBACCO  133 

Nueva  Ecija.  Also  Masbate,  Ticao,  and  most  of  the 
Visayas  Islands.  The  Igorrote  also  raise  a  considerable 
quantity. 

The  quantity  of  tobacco  and  cigars  exported  since  1888 
is  given  in  the  Appendix  ;  and,  seeing  the  enormous  extent 
of  land  still  available  in  the  Cagayan  Valley,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  production  can  be  very  largely  increased 
as  the  demand  grows. 

The  export  of  leaf  tobacco  from  Manila,  the  only 
shipping  port,  has  increased  from  204,592  quintals  in  1888, 
to  287,161  quintals  in  1897,  and  during  the  same  period 
the  export  of  cigars  has  increased  from  109,109  mil  to 
171,410  mil. 

The  cultivation  of  the  Musa  textilis  is  almost  a  mono- 
poly of  the  Philippines,  and,  indeed,  of  certain  parts  of 
them. 

Volcanic  soil,  a  certain  elevation  above  the  sea,  and 
exposure  to  the  breezes  of  the  Pacific,  a  bright  sun  and  an 
ample  rainfall,  seem  necessary  to  the  production  of  a  fine 
quality  of  this  fibre. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  produce  this  fibie 
elsewhere  ;  the  Government  of  British  India  sent  a  gentle- 
man to  Manila  to  study  the  question.  lie  wrote  a  report, 
but  I  have  never  heard  that  any  abaca  was  produced. 

The  plant  was  said  to  grow  wild  all  along  the  Sarawak 
rivers  ;  but  here  again  some  mistake  must  have  been  made, 
for  nothing  seems  to  have  come  of  it. 

There  is,  in  fact,  nothing  so  far  to  compete  with  it,  and 
there  is  an  immense  and  growing  market.  The  price  has 
lately  fluctuated  enormously,  and  I  do  not  intend  to  pro- 
phesy what  profits  might  be  made  in  planting  it. 

In  1897,  no  less  than  915,338  bales  were  exported, 
about  114,400  tons,  and  if  we  take  the  average  price  at 
that  time  as  $15  per  bale,  we  get  a  sum  of  over  $13,730,000 
as  the  value  of  that  year's  export,  the  largest  in  quantity, 
but  not  in  value. 

The  export  of  hemp  has  been  almost  entirely  developed 
by  British  and  American  enterprise,  and  dates  from  veiy 
recent  times. 

The  spread  of  the  sugar-cane  cultivation  in  the  Philip- 
pines from  the  year  1870  was  rapid,  and  is  in  great  measure 
due  to  the  advances  made  by  British  and  American  houses 
to  the  planters.  It  was  for  many  years  a  most  profitable 
business,  and  this  is  proved  by  the  large  and  handsome 


134      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

houses  of  the  planters  in  the  towns  of  the  sugar  districts. 
The  continual  increase  of  the  beet  sugar  production,  how- 
ever brought  down  prices  to  such  an  extent  as  to  reduce 
the  profits  below  the  heavy  interest  paid  on  loans  or 
advances. I  But  it  seems  now  that  bottom  has  been  reached, 
and  that  rising  prices  and  more  economical  methods  of 
financing  and  of  manufacturing  will  give  the  planters  a 
fresh  start.  Those  who  know  what  has  been  and  is  being 
done  by  central  sugar  factories  in  Cuba,  will  not  doubt  the 
possibility  of  doing  better  in  the  Philippines,  where  labour 
is  cheaper  and  is  on  the  spot. 

Under  the  headings  Pampangos,  Pangasinanes,  and 
Visayas,  will  be  found  many  interesting  particulars  of  the 
working  of  sugar  plantations  in  these  provinces. 

In  1893,  the  export  of  sugar  amounted  to  260,000  tons  ; 
since  then  it  has  declined,  but  in  1897  it  still  amounted  to 
close  on  200,000  tons, 

The  export  of  coffee  has  almost  entirely  ceased,  and  the 
cause  is  ascribed  to  the  ravages  of  an  insect  which  destroys 
the  bushes.  Lipa,  in  Batangas  province,  was  the  great 
coffee  centre,  and  became  one  of  the  richest  towns  in 
Luzon.  Notwithstanding  this  prosperity,  the  plantations 
were  never  cultivated  with  proper  care.  Weeding  was 
much  neglected.  In  1888,  the  export  reached  107,236 
piculs,  but  in  1897  it  had  fallen  to  21 11  piculs. 

There  is  an  opening  for  coffee-planting  on  many  of  the 
elevated  plateaux  of  the  islands,  and  capital  with  skill  ought 
to  find  its  reward. 

The  Moros  of  Lake  Lanao  export  a  certain  quantity  of 
coffee  of  indifferent  appearance  but  excellent  flavour. 

Cacao  grows  well  in  many  parts  of  the  Archipelago,  but 
I  have  never  seen  any  large  plantations  of  it.  A  few  trees 
may  be  seen  in  the  gardens  of  old  houses,  but  they  must  be 
protected  from  insects  and  rats,  and  require  looking  after. 

The  quantity  raised  in  the  islands  is  not  sufficient  to 
supply  the  home  demand,  so  that  cacao  beans  are  imported 
from  Venezuela  and  chocolate  from  Spain. 

It  is  a  risky  business  to  plant  cacao  in  the  northern 
Philippines ;  the  trees  are  delicate  and  suffer  from  the 
typhoons.  And  the  produce  is  so  valuable  that,  unless 
watched  at  night  or  protected  in  some  way,  the  cones  may 
when  nearly  ripe  be  carried  away  by  thieves. 

In  Palawan,  where  the  typhoons  do  not  ravage,  I  have 
seen  cacao  trees  30  feet  high,  with  an  abundant  crop. 


RESOURCES:  INDIGO  135 

The  plant  from  which  indigo  is  elaborated  was  cultivated 
in  former  years  to  a  considerable  extent  in  some  provinces, 
notably  the  Ilocos,  but  the  export  trade  was  destroyed  by 
the  adulterations  of  the  Chinese. 

In  1895,  6672  quintals  were  exported  from  Manila,  but 
only  462  quintals  in  1896.  Ten  specimens  of  Ilocos  indigo 
were  shown  at  the  Madrid  Exhibition  of  1887,  and  the 
price  varied  from  $12  to  %6j  per  quintal. 

For  home  use  the  dye  is  sold  in  a  liquid  form,  contained 
in  large  earthen  jars  called  tinajas.  It  is  known  as 
Tintarron. 

Sesame  and  other  oil-giving  seeds  are  cultivated  to  a 
small  extent  in  several  provinces,  but  neither  the  seed  nor 
the  oil  figure  in  the  list  of  exports. 

The  cocoa-nut  palm  grows  in  most  of  the  lowlands  of 
the  Philippines,  except  in  the  North  of  Luzon.  In  suitable 
soil  it  grows  to  the  very  edge  of  the  sea,  as  in  the  Cuyos 
Islands,  In  the  provinces  of  Laguna  and  Tayabas  there 
are  large  numbers  of  these  trees  and  a  lively  business  is 
carried  on  in  making  oil  from  nuts  or  in  sending  them  to 
Manila  for  the  market  or  for  shipment. 

When  large  quantities  are  to  be  sent,  they  are  formed 
into  rafts  in  a  very  ingenious  manner,  each  nut  being 
attached  by  a  strip  of  its  own  fibre  without  any  rope  being 
required. 

These  rafts  are  sometimes  a  hundred  feet  long  and  ten 
or  twelve  feet  wide,  and  are  navigated  across  the  lake  and 
down  the  Pasig.  Finally  they  are  brought  alongside  a 
steamer,  the  nuts  are  cut  adrift  and  thrown  into  the  hold 
through  the  cargo  ports. 

The  nuts  that  are  to  be  used  for  making  oil  are  stripped 
of  their  husks  and  cut  in  halves.  They  then  pass  to  a 
workman  who  is  provided  with  an  apparatus  called  a 
Cntciiran.  This  is  mounted  upon  a  trestle  and  consists  of 
a  revolving  shaft  of  hard  polished  wood,  carrying  on  its 
overhanging  end  an  iron  disc  about  three  inches  in  diameter 
having  teeth  like  the  rowel  of  a  spur. 

This  is  set  edgeways  in  a  slot  in  the  shaft.  On  each 
side  of  the  trestle  near  the  ground  is  a  treadle  ;  from  one 
of  these  a  cotton  cord  passes  over  the  shaft  taking  a  round 
turn  and  is  made  fast  to  the  other  treadle.  The  operator 
sits  astride  the  trestle  with  a  foot  on  each  treadle.  By 
working  them  alternately  he  produces  a  rapid  revolution  of 
the  shaft  in  alternate  directions,  and  the  cutting  disc  being 


136      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

double-edged  it  cuts  both  ways.  By  holding  a  half  nut 
against  the  revolving  cutter  he  in  a  few  seconds  rasps  out 
every  particle  of  the  nut  which  falls  upon  a  tray  in  fine 
shreds. 

The  shredded  material  is  then  heated  in  a  cast-iron  pan 
over  a  slow  fire,  and  whilst  hot  is  filled  into  bags  of  strong 
material  which  are  placed  in  the  press. 

This  is  constructed  entirely  of  hard  wood,  and  the  pres- 
sure is  obtained  by  driving  wedges  with  a  heavy  mallet. 

The  system  is  primitive,  but  all  the  apparatus  is  prac- 
tical and  very  cheap. 

D.  Carlos  Almeida  of  Bifian  stated  to  me  in  1890  that 
400  large  cocoa-nuts  gave  by  this  process  one  tinaja  or  jar 
of  oil,  equivalent  to  10^  English  gallons,  which  was  then 
worth  on  the  spot  six  Mexican  dollars.  It  is  sold  in  Manila. 
At  this  time  cocoa-nuts  were  sold  in  Santa  Cruz,  the  capital 
of  the  Laguna,  for  about  $15  per  thousand.  The  oil  cake 
was  used  either  to  feed  pigs  or  as  a  manure  about  the  roots 
of  coffee-plants.  The  owner  of  cocoa-palm  groves  in  Luzon 
or  Visayas  lives  in  anxiety  during  several  months  of  each 
year,  for  should  the  vortex  of  a  typhoon  pass  over  or  near 
his  plantation,  a  large  proportion  of  his  trees  may  be 
destroyed. 

The  true  locality  for  such  plantations  is  in  the  southern 
and  western  parts  of  Mindanao  and  Palawan,  to  the  south 
of  a  line  drawn  from  the  northern  point  of  Mindanao  to 
Busuanga  Island  in  the  Calamianes,  preferring  the  most 
sheltered  spots. 

In  this  region  the  danger  from  typhoons  is  inconsider- 
able, and  the  trees  flourish  exceedingly,  I  have  been  shown 
trees  in  bearing  at  Puerta  Princesa  which  I  was  assured  were 
only  three  years  old.  I  saw  older  trees  bearing  immense 
bunches  of  nuts,  too  many  to  count,  and  it  seemed  won- 
derful to  see  a  slender  trunk  bearing  aloft  sixty  feet  in 
the  air  so  heavy  a  load.  From  fifty  to  one  hundred  trees 
can  be  planted  on  an  acre  according  to  the  space  allowed 
to  each,  and  when  in  full  bearing  after  six  or  seven  years 
each  tree  might  give  eighty  nuts  in  a  year.  The  crop  goes 
on  all  the  year  round. 

Copra  is  prepared  from  the  nuts  either  by  drying  the 
whole  nut  under  cover  in  the  shade,  allowing  the  water  to 
become  absorbed  and  then  breaking  up  the  kernel  for 
bagging,  or  else  by  breaking  it  up  first  of  all  and  drying  it 
in  the  sun. 


AGRICULTURE:   PRESENT  POSITION  137 

In  the  first  case  a  large  airy  shed  is  required,  and  the 
process  takes  three  months.  In  the  latter  case  three  days 
of  sunshine  will  suffice,  but  the  kernels  must  be  protected 
from  the  dew  at  night  and  from  any  chance  shower  of  rain. 
Artificial  heat  does  not  produce  good  copra,  and  besides  is 
expensive  to  apply. 

Making  copra  is  one  of  the  most  paying  enterprises  in 
the  Philippines,  but  it  requires  capital  to  be  laid  out  several 
years  beforehand,  unless  a  plantation  can  be  bought  to  start 
with. 

Previous  to  1890,  the  quantity  of  copra  exported  was  so 
small  that  no  record  was  kept  of  it.  In  that  year  74,447 
piculs  were  exported,  and  the  trade  has  gone  up  by  leaps 
and  bounds,  so  that  in  1897  no  less  than  8 11,440  piculs  were 
sent  out,  over  fifty  thousand  tons. 

The  present  position  of  agriculture  seems  to  be  that  there 
are  in  the  Philippines  somewhere  about  six  millions  of 
civilised  Christian  people  tilling  eight  million  acres  of  land, 
and  exporting  some  thirty  million  dollars'  worth  of  produce 
each  year.  They  also  raise  a  large  quantity  of  food-stuffs 
for  their  own  consumption,  but  import  perhaps  a  couple 
of  million  dollars'  worth  of  rice  because  it  is  cheaper  to  buy 
it  than  to  grow  it,  as  we  in  England  import  wheat  for  the 
same  reason.  The  area  of  land  under  cultivation  is  com- 
puted at  one-ninth  of  the  total  area  of  the  islands. 

The  author  of  the  circular  Plant  Products  of  the  Philip- 
pi?ies,  to  which  I  have  before  referred,  makes  the  following 
remarks:  "In  view  of  the  natural  fertility  of  the  soil  and 
the  vast  extent  of  these  rich  lands  not  yet  under  cultivation, 
it  is  safely  assumed  that  the  total  agricultural  production  of 
the  islands  could  be  increased  tenfold." 

This  gentleman  seems  to  be  of  a  sanguine  disposition, 
and  he  reminds  me  rather  of  Oscar  F.  Williams'  cheerful 
optimism.  But  in  one  way  he  is  more  cautious  than  that 
gentleman.  He  does  not  fix  a  time  for  his  prophecy  to  be 
accomplished. 

I  would  point  out,  however,  that  in  the  seventy-five 
million  acres  comprised  in  the  islands  there  are  volcanic 
cones,  peaks  of  basalt,  stony  plains,  unexplored  regions, 
swamps  and  other  undesirable  localities  for  establishing 
farms  or  plantations,  and  that  some  of  the  good  lands  are 
held  by  warlike  tribes  who  would  resent  any  intrusion  into 
their  domains. 

There  are,  it  is  true,  great  tracts  of  land  in  Mindanao 


138      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

and  Palawan,  and  no  doubt  in  time  they  will  come  under 
cultivation. 

Taking  everything  into  consideration,  I  hold  to  my  view 
that  with  peace,  honest  government  and  a  good  Vagrancy 
law,  the  export  of  produce  might  be  doubled  in  twenty 
years  if  capital  is  forthcoming  in  sufficient  amount.  The 
land  is  worth  nothing  without  the  husbandmen,  and  it  will 
take  the  Philippines  a  long  time  to  recover  from  the 
devastating  effects  of  the  insurrection  of  1896-7  and  the 
American  war  of  subjugation. 


(     139 


CHAPTER  XV. 

FORESTAL. 

Value  exaggerated  —  Difficulties  of  labour  and  transport  —  Special 
sawing  machinery  required — Market  for  timber  in  the  islands — 
Teak  not  found — Jungle  produce — Warning  to  investors  in  com- 
panies— Gutta  percha. 

During  the  three  and  a  quarter  centuries  the  Spaniards 
have  held  the  Philippines,  the  forests  of  Luzon  have 
supplied  enormous  quantities  of  the  finest  timber  for 
building  houses,  churches,  convents,  bridges,  warships, 
lighters  and  canoes.  No  care  has  ever  been  taken  to 
replant,  and  the  consequence  is  that  at  this  day  long  logs 
of  many  kinds  most  wanted  are  not  obtainable,  all  the  large 
trees  of  valuable  timber  have  long  ago  been  cut,  and  only  in 
the  most  distant  and  least  accessible  places  are  any  worth 
having  to  be  found. 

The  greatest  nonsense  is  talked  about  the  value  of  the 
Philippine  forests,  but  in  fact  it  is  only  in  the  fever-stricken 
Island  of  Mindoro,  and  in  certain  parts  of  Palawan  and 
Mindanao,  that  any  large  and  valuable  trees  can  be  found. 

Labour  is  a  great  difficulty ;  wood-cutters  are  scarce,  and 
they  are  a  wild,  unruly  lot  ;  only  men  inured  to  such  a 
rough  life  can  resist  the  malaria  of  the  woods,  and  even 
they  are  occasionally  down  with  fever. 

Chinamen  would  not  venture  into  the  forests,  and  only 
the  natives  of  each  district  are  available,  as  they  do  not 
care  to  go  far  from  their  houses.  In  order  to  engage  them 
it  is  necessary  to  make  them  advances  of  money  which  it 
will  seldom  be  possible  to  recover.  A  good  deal  of  tact 
is  required  in  dealing  with  the  cutters,  they  are  very 
independent  and  will  not  put  up  with  abuse.  A  consider- 
able capital  is  required  to  give  advances  to,  and  feed  these 
men,  also  for  buying  buffaloes,  which  die  unless  good  care 
is  taken  of  them. 


I40      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

If  a  cutter  can  be  found  who  has  buffaloes  of  his  own, 
it  is  better  to  hire  them  with  him,  as  then  they  are  sure  to 
be  taken  care  of. 

The  dragging  the  large  logs  to  a  river  or  port  can  only 
be  done  by  teams  of  buffaloes.  The  conditions  prevailing 
prevent  the  employment  of  chutes,  wire  ropes  and  winding 
engines,  or  tram-lines. 

The  valuable  trees  do  not  grow  together  in  numbers  as 
in  the  forests  of  California  and  Oregon,  but  are  found  at 
considerable  distances  from  each  other.  It  is  therefore 
only  possible  to  commence  the  use  of  mechanical  convey- 
ance at  the  spot  where  the  logs  can  be  assembled  by 
animal  labour.  Even  so,  the  number  of  logs  from  any 
district  will  be  so  small  that  it  will  hardly  pay  to  lay  down 
a  tramway. 

The  logs  are  squared  in  the  woods  and  the  butt  ends 
are  rounded  like  the  runners  of  a  sleigh,  two  holes  are 
chopped  at  the  top  corners  with  a  small  adze  called  a 
palacol,  through  which  rattans  are  passed  for  the  buffaloes 
to  be  yoked  to.  They  are  then  dragged  down  to  the  river 
or  sea.  The  wood  is  too  heavy  to  float,  and  bundles  of 
bamboos  are  attached  to  it  to  give  it  buoyancy. 

The  idea  of  putting  up  saw-mills  in  the  forests  is  absurd 
— for  the  reason  given  above. 

The  wood  is  very  hard  and  tough,  and  specially  made 
machinery  is  required  to  work  it. 

The  framing  must  be  heavier,  the  feed  lighter,  and  the 
teeth  of  the  saws  much  smaller  and  with  less  set.  I  have 
had  some  excellent  machinery  and  saws  specially  made  in 
England  for  this  purpose,  by  Thomas  Robinson  &  Son  of 
Rochdale,  but  I  sent  home  logs  of  the  woods  required  to 
be  worked,  for  the  saws,  planers,  and  moulding  cutters 
to  be  made  to  suit.  The  ordinary  sawing  machinery  as 
shown  in  trade  catalogues  would  be  of  no  use  at  all. 

The  whole  business  is  extremely  risky,  it  requires  a 
manager,  immune  to  jungle  fever,  a  man  of  great  vigour 
yet  patient  and  tactful.  Such  a  man,  understanding  the 
native  ways,  would  probably  succeed  after  years  of  hard 
and  dangerous  work ;  but  I  warn  any  one  thinking  of  taking 
up  this  business  that  in  Luzon  valuable  trees  are  few  and 
far  between,  and  distant  from  port  or  river,  whilst  in  other 
islands  where  there  are  timber  trees  they  stand  there 
because  no  one  could  ever  be  induced  to  go  and  cut 
them. 


FORESTAL:  NO    TEAK  141 

As  for  exporting  these  timbers  to  the  United  States  or 
other  places,  there  is  no  need  to  do  that,  for  demand  for 
timber  in  Manila  and  other  towns  is  greater  than  the 
supply,  and  iron  construction  is  increasing  in  consequence. 

Oregon  or  Norway  pine  is  of  no  use  for  building 
purposes  in  the  Philippines,  for  it  would  be  devoured 
within  a  year  or  two  by  the  anay  (white  ants).  I  am 
told,  however,  that  in  spite  of  warnings  the  United  States 
military  authorities  have  constructed  stables  and  storehouses 
of  this  timber. 

I  think  it  quite  useless  to  mention  the  names  of  the 
different  Philippine  timbers,  as  those  who  take  an  interest 
in  them  can  purchase  the  '  Manual  de  Maderero  '  (Wood- 
cutters' Manual)  and  obtain  all  the  information  they  require 
from  it. 

Molave  is  the  most  important,  being  proof  against  the 
white  ants,  and  almost  imperishable.  Ypil  and  yacal  are 
splendid  woods  for  large  roofs.  They  can  be  obtained  long 
enough  for  tie-beams,  even  for  wide  spans,  and  excellent 
roof-frames  can  be  made  by  bolting  them  together. 

On  the  Zambales  mountains  and  in  Benguet  and 
Lepanto  there  are  forests  of  coniferse.  When  the  Manila- 
Dagupan  Railway  was  being  built,  I  had  some  sample 
sleepers  brought  down  from  thence.  They  were  quite 
suitable,  but  could  only  be  used  if  thoroughly  creosoted, 
as  otherwise  they  would  merely  provide  food  for  the  white 
ants.  As  there  are  no  gasworks  in  the  Islands,  creosote 
could  not  be  produced,  nor  would  it  pay  to  import  it  from 
Hong  Kong  or  elsewhere  on  account  of  the  freight  and 
duties. 

There  is  no  market  in  the  islands  for  pine  and  no  one 
cuts  the  trees.  They  are  not  of  great  size.  The  Igorrotes 
burn  them  to  clear  the  land  for  planting. 

True  ebony  is  not  found  in  the  forests,  but  a  veiy  hand- 
some and  heavy  wood,  called  Camagon,  is  the  nearest 
approach  to  it,  being  dark-brown  nearly  black,  streaked 
with  bright  yellow.  It  is  found  of  larger  size  than  ebony 
and  is  sold  by  the  pound. 

Teak  has  often  been  reported  to  exist  and  samples  of 
the  alleged  teak  have  been  shown  to  me.  On  comparing 
them  with  teak  from  Rangoon  a  considerable  difference 
was  noted  and  the  characteristic  odour  was  absent.  My 
own  impression  is  that  there  is  no  teak  in  the  Philippines. 
I  have  paid  two  dollars  a  cubic  foot  for  teak  in  Manila  and 


142      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

if  there  was  any  to  be  had,  this  price  would,  I  think,  have 
fetched  it  out. 

As  for  such  jungle  produce  as  gum-damar,  canes,  and 
rattans,  if  the  reader  will  refer  to  my  remarks  on  Palawan 
he  will  see  that  the  most  valuable  products  are  mostly 
worked  out,  and  that  in  any  case  this  is  not  white  man's 
business. 

There  is,  however,  one  branch  that,  in  view  of  increasing 
scarcity  and  rising  price,  should  be  carefully  looked  after 
by  the  Philippine  Administration  ;  I  refer  to  the  collection 
of  gutta-percha  in  Mindanao.  This  caused  quite  a  boom 
for  a  short  time,  but  as  usual  the  Chinamen  got  hold  of 
the  stuff  and  mixed  it  with  various  kinds  of  rubbish,  so  that 
it  was  soon  discredited  in  the  European  market. 

An  official  of  high-standing  might  be  appointed  to  the 
double  office  of  Protector  of  the  Natives,  and  Conservator 
of  the  Forests  in  Mindanao,  and  rules  for  collecting  the 
gutta  without  destroying  the  trees  should  be  prepared  and 
enforced  by  personal  visits  from  the  conservator  and  his 
deputies,  to  whom  all  the  gutta  should  be  handed,  being 
paid  for  in  cash.  This  would  probably  yield  a  large 
revenue  to  the  Government  and  greatly  benefit  the  natives, 
for  they  might  receive  half  the  value  of  the  gutta  instead  of 
the  minute  fraction  the  Chinese  now  give  them. 

The  reader  who  has  perused  the  previous  remarks  will 
no  longer  be  liable  to  be  caught  by  tales  of  the  fabulous 
riches  of  the  Philippine  forests.  And,  above  all,  he  should 
keep  clear  of  any  companies  that  may  be  formed  to  exploit 
them.  Energetic  and  tactful  individuals  may  succeed,  but 
the  success  will  be  due  to  personal  qualities,  and  will  be 
contemporaneous  with  that  gifted  party  and  disappear  with 
him.  This  is  what  happened  to  the  "  Laguimanoc  Saw 
Mills  and  Timber  Company  "  as  soon  as  the  founder  left. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  jungle  produce  of  Mindanao, 
Palawan,  and  the  smaller  Southern  Islands  is  smuggled 
away  by  the  Chinese  traders  to  Sandakan  or  Singapore. 

All  that  appears  in  the  Table  of  Exports  is  two  or 
three  hundred  tons  of  gum  copal  shipped  each  year  from 
Manila. 


(     143    ) 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE   MINERALS. 

Gold:  Dampier — Pigafetta — De  Comyn — Placers  in  Luzon — Gapan 
— River  Agno — The  Igorrotes — Auriferous  quartz  from  Antaniae 
—  Capunga  —  Pangutantan  —  Goldpits  at  Suyuc  —  Atimonan  — 
Paracale  —  Mambulao  —  Mount  Labo  —  Surigao  —  River  Siga — 
Gigaquil,  Caninon-Binutong,  and  Cansostral  Mountains — Misamis 
— Pighoulugan — Iponan — Pigtao — Dendritic  gold  from  Misamis 
— Placer  gold  traded  away  surreptitiously — Cannot  be  taxed — 
Spanish  mining  laws — Pettifogging  lawyers — Prospects  for  gold 
seekers.  Copper :  Native  copper  at  Surigao  and  Torrijos  (Mindoro) 
— Copper  deposits  at  Mancayan  worked  by  the  Igorrotes — Spanish 
company — Insufficient  data — Caution  required.  Iron:  Rich  ores 
found  in  the  Cordillera  of  Luzon — Worked  by  natives — Some 
Europeans  have  attempted  but  failed — Red  hematite  in  Cebu — 
Brown  hematite  in  Paracale — Both  red  and  brown  in  Capiz — 
Oxydized  iron  in  Misamis — Magnetic  iron  in  San  Miguel  de 
Mayumo — Possibilities.  Coal  (so  called)  .•  Beds  of  lignite  upheaved 
— Vertical  seams  at  Sugud  —  Reason  of  failure  —  Analysis  of 
Masbate  lignite.  Various  Minerals :  Galena — Red  lead — Graphite 
— Quicksilver — Sulphur  Asbestos — Yellow  ochre — Kaolin,  Marble 
— Plastic  clays — Mineral  waters. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  nothing  is  known  of 
the  geology  and  mineralogy  of  the  Philippines,  or  that  no 
attempts  have  been  made  to  exploit  them. 

The  maps  of  the  Archipelago  are  marked  in  dozens  or 
hundreds  of  places,  coal,  copper,  lead,  iron,  gold,  and  a 
number  of  works  treating  of  the  subject  have  been  pub- 
lished. Amongst  the  authors  are  the  mining  engineers, 
Don  Enrique  Abella  and  Don  Jose  Centeno.  But  some  of 
their  most  important  reports  are  still  in  manuscript,  for  the 
revenues  of  the  Philippines  were  almost  entirely  absorbed 
in  paying  the  salaries  of  the  officials,  and  there  was  a  great 
disinclination  to  spend  money  in  any  other  way. 

At  the  Philippine  Exhibition,  held  at  Madrid  in  1887, 


144      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

more  than  seven  hundred  specimens  of  auriferous  earths  or 
sand,  gold  quartz,  and  ores  of  various  metals  were  shown, 
and  in  this  branch  alone  there  were  109  exhibitors  from  all 
parts  of  the  Archipelago. 

Besides  ores  there  were  the  tools  and  utensils  used  by 
the  miners,  and  models  of  the  furnaces  and  forges  in  which 
the  metals  were  reduced  and  worked,  with  the  metals  in 
different  stages  of  concentration  or  manufacture,  and  a 
complete  show  of  the  finished  products. 

A  great  many  Mining  Companies  have  been  formed  in 
Spain  or  in  Manila  at  different  times  which  have  all  failed 
from  a  variety  of  causes,  want  of  skill,  bad  management, 
costly  administration,  or  because  the  richness  of  the  vein  or 
seam  had  been  exaggerated. 

The  difficulty  of  getting  labour  is  considerable,  as 
mining  is  a  work  the  generality  of  natives  do  not  care  to 
take  up,  although  in  some  provinces  they  are  used  to  it,  for 
example,  in  Camarines  Norte  and  in  Surigao. 

Employers  seem  to  forget  that  the  ordinary  food  of  a 
native,  rice  and  fish,  is  not  sufficiently  nourishing  to  enable 
him  to  do  hard  and  continuous  work,  such  as  is  required 
in  mining.  A  higher  rate  of  pay  than  the  current  wage  is 
essential,  to  allow  the  miner  to  supply  himself  with  an 
ample  ration  of  beef  or  pork,  coffee  and  sugar,  and 
provision  should  be  made  for  him  to  be  comfortably 
housed. 

In  this  complaint  of  want  of  labour  it  is  not  always 
the  native  who  is  to  blame,  and  if  a  mine  cannot  afford 
to  pay  a  reasonable  price  for  labour,  it  had  better  stand 
idle. 

Probably  the  one  great  reason  why  mines  have  not 
prospered  in  the  Philippines  is  that  there  has  never  been 
slavery  there,  as  in  Cuba,  Peru^  Mexico,  Brazil,  ancient 
Egypt,  and  other  great  mining  countries,  where  whole 
populations  have  been  used  up  to  minister  to  the  avarice 
of  their  fellow-men. 


Names  of  some  Metals  in  Tagal. 


Gold  .     . 

Guinto. 

Iron  .      .      .     Bacal. 

Silver 

.     Pilac. 

Steel  .      .      •     PataliDi 

Copper    . 

TangsS. 

Forged  Steel     Biualon 

Lead  . 

Tinga. 

Coal  .      .      .      Uling. 

Tin    .     . 

Tviga  pjiti. 

THE  MINERALS:   GOLD  145 


Gold. 

From  my  remarks  upon  the  other  minerals  it  will  be 
seen  that  I  have  no  illusions  on  the  immediate  prospects  of 
working  them. 

With  gold,  however,  it  is  different.  For  centuries 
large  quantities  have  been  collected  or  extracted,  mostly, 
no  doubt,  from  placers,  still  some  rich  veins  are  known  to 
exist. 

The  early  writers  agree  that  gold  is  plentiful,  Dampier 
says  :  "  Most,  if  not  all,  the  Philippine  Islands  are  rich  in 
gold." 

Speaking  of  the  Batanes  Islanders,  he  says  : — 

"  They  have  no  sort  of  coin,  but  they  have  small  crumbs  of  the 
metal  before  described  "  (he  seemed  at  first  to  doubt  whether  it  was 
gold),  which  they  bind  up  very  safe  in  plantain  leaves  or  the  like. 
This  metal  they  exchange  for  what  they  want,  giving  a  small  quantity 
of  it — about  two  or  three  grains — for  a  jar  of  drink  that  would  hold 
five  or  six  gallons.     They  have  no  scales,  but  give  it  by  guess." 

In  the  'Relacion  de  las  Islas  Fihpinas,'  1595(1'),  the 
author  remarks  that  the  Tagals  "  like  to  put  on  many 
ornaments  of  gold,  which  they  have  in  great  abundance." 

Farther  on,  he  says  of  Luzon  : — 

"  The  people  of  this  island  are  very  clever  in  knowing  "  (valuing) 
"gold,  and  they  weigh  it  with  the  greatest  subtleness  and  delicacy 
which  has  ever  been  seen  ;  the  first  thing  they  teach  their  children  is 
to  know  gold  and  the  weights  used  for  it,  for  amongst  them  there  is 
no  other  money." 

Farther  on,  he  says  : — 

"  Ilocos  .  .  .  has  much  gold,  for  the  principal  mines  of  these 
islands  are  in  the  mountain  ranges  of  this  province,  of  which  they 
get  the  advantage,  for  they  trade  with  the  miners  more  than  any 
people.  The  Spaniards  have  many  times  endeavoured  to  people  the 
mines  so  as  to  work  them,  but  it  has  not  been  possible  up  to  the 
present,  although  the  Governor,  Gonzalo  Ronquillo,  took  the  greatest 
pains,  and  it  cost  him  many  men,  the  country  being  so  rough  and 
destitute  of  provisions." 

In  Pigafetta's  'Voyage  Round  the  World'  (Pinkerton), 
Vol.  ii.,  p.  333,  we  read  that  at  Caraga  (Mindanao)  a  man 
offered  an  ingot  of  massive  gold  for  six  strings  of  glass 
beads. 

L 


146     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


On  p.  331,  he  says  : — 

"  The  king  who  accompanied  us  informed  us  that  gold  was  found 
in  his  island  in  lumps  as  large  as  walnuts,  and  even  as  an  &^<^y 
mingled  with  earth  ;  that  they  used  a  sieve  for  sifting  it,  and  that  all 
his  vessels,  and  even  many  of  the  ornaments  of  his  house  were  of 
this  metal." 

On  p.  348,  he  says  that  he  saw  many  utensils  of  gold  in 
the  house  of  the  Raja  or  King  of  Butuan. 

On  p.  349,  we  find  the  following  remarks  : — 

"  What  most  abounds  is  gold.  Valleys  were  pointed  out  to  me 
in  which  by  signs  they  made  me  comprehend  there  were  more  lumps 
of  gold  than  we  had  hair  on  our  heads,  but  that,  for  the  want  of  iron, 
the  mines  exact  greater  labour  to  work  them  than  they  feel  inclined 
to  bestow." 

Coming  down  to  later  days,  Thomas  de  Comyn,  1810, 
writes : — 

"  Gold  abounds  in  Luzon  and  in  many  of  these  islands  ;  but  as 
the  mountains  which  contain  it  are  in  the  power  of  pagan  Indians, 
the  veins  are  not  worked,  nor  even  the  mines  known.  These  savages 
collect  it  from  placers  or  streams,  and  bring  it  as  dust  to  the  Christians 
who  inhabit  the  plains,  in  exchange  for  coarse  cloth  or  fire-arms,  and 
at  times  they  have  brought  it  in  grains  of  one  or  two  ounces'  weight. 

"  It  is  the  general  opinion  that  this  class  of  mines  abound  in  the 
province  of  Caraga,  situated  on  the  east  of  the  great  island  of 
Mindanao,  and  that  there,  as  well  as  at  various  other  points,  gold  is 
found  of  22  carat  fine." 

He  states  that  the  Royal  Fifth,  or  rather  Tenth  (for  it 
was  found  the  mines  could  not  pay  a  fifth,  and  it  was 
reduced  by  half),  in  the  year  1809  amounted  to  $1144. 
This  would  represent  an  extraction  of  gold  equal  to  only 
$11,440;  but  this  was  probably  but  a  small  part  of  the 
whole,  as  from  the  circumstances  of  the  case  the  gold  dust 
from  the  washings  would  be  surreptitiously  disposed  of, 
and  only  the  few  mines  that  were  worked,  paid  the  tax,  I 
had  occasion,  about  twevle  years  ago,  to  make  inquiry  how 
much  gold  was  raised  in  Camarines  Norte,  and  a  person 
well-informed  on  the  subject  estimated  it  at  a  value  of 
$30,000  gold  dollars. 

Gold  is  certainly  very  widely  distributed  in  the  islands. 
I  have  seen  women  washing  the  sands  of  the  River  San 
Jos6  del  Puray  in  the  province  of  Manila,  and  noted  what 
small  specks  they  collected.  I  was  informed  that  their 
average  earnings  were  about  25  cents  per  day.     Whether 


THE  MINERALS:   GOLD  147 

these  sands  could  be  dredged  and  washed  mechanically  on 
a  large  scale  with  profit  I  cannot  say. 

In  1890,  I  ascended  the  Puray  River  and  went  up  the 
Arroyo  Macaburabod  to  where  it  bifurcates.  There,  close 
to  the  boundary  of  the  province  of  Manila  and  district  of 
Moron,  I  found  a  face  of  disintegrated  quartz  glittering 
with  large  crystals  of  iron  pyrites. 

This  was  near  a  geological  frontier  where  the  igneous 
and  sedimentary  rocks  joined,  and  the  neighbourhood  was 
highly  mineralized,  there  being  iron,  coal,  and  gold  within 
a  short  distance,  I  took  a  large  number  of  samples,  and 
the  analyst  Anacleto  del  Rosario  declared  that  one  of  them 
gave  an  assay  of  17  dwts.  of  gold  to  the  ton.  But  of  course 
such  assays  prove  nothing,  for  the  accidental  presence  of  a 
grain  of  gold  in  the  sample  would  make  all  the  difference 
in  the  results. 

Near  Gapan  in  Nueva  Ecija  more  profitable  washings 
are  situated,  and  at  times  large  numbers  of  men  and  women 
are  to  be  seen  at  work,  especially  after  a  sudden  flood  has 
come  down.  The  sands  of  the  River  Agno  also  yield  gold, 
and  the  washing  for  it  is  quite  an  industry  amongst  the 
Pangasinan  women  about  Rosales,  but  the  return  is  said 
to  be  small.  But  after  a  north-westerly  gale  has  heaped  up 
the  black  sand  at  the  mouth  of  this  river  in  the  Bay  of 
Lingayen,  the  people  turn  out  in  numbers  to  wash  it,  and 
sometimes  have  better  luck.  But  although  these  washings 
are  poor,  a  considerable  quantity  of  gold  is  obtained  from 
the  Igorrotes,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  these  people  have 
for  centuries  worked  quartz  veins  or  pockets,  and  that  they 
only  extract  sufficient  for  their  modest  requirements  in  the 
way  of  purchasing  cattle,  cloth,  and  tools.  They  do  not 
hoard  any  gold,  for  they  say  that  it  is  safer  in  the  mine 
than  in  their  houses.  When  one  of  them  requires  a  few 
ounces  he  goes  to  his  mine,  gets  it  out,  and  immediately 
proceeds  to  purchase  what  he  wants.  Possibly  they  do  not 
consider  the  supply  inexhaustible,  and  they  have  thought 
for  to-morrow,  or  for  those  who  will  come  after  them.  It 
is  not  their  object  to  exhaust  the  bounties  of  nature  in  the 
shortest  possible  time. 

When  they  have  found  a  rich  pocket  they  build  a  house 
over  the  pit,  and  when  not  at  work  they  cover  the  hole  with 
roughly-hewn  planks  or  logs  ;  they  take  precautions  in  dis- 
posing of  the  detritus,  so  that  it  does  not  call  attention 
from  a  distance. 

I.  2 


148      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

In  the  Exhibition  of  1887  the  Comandante  Politico- 
Mih'tar  of  the  Province  of  Benguet  showed  samples  of 
auriferous  quartz  from  Antaniac  and  from  Capunga,  also 
quartz  with  visible  threads  of  gold  from  the  latter  place, 
also  leaf  gold  from  the  veins,  two  specimens  of  auriferous 
quartz  from  Pangutantan  with  gold  extracted  from  it,  and 
gold-dust  from  the  River  Agno, 

Other  exhibits  included  specimens  of  gold-bearing  rock 
from  Lepanto  and  Infantas,  and  compact  auriferous  quartz 
from  the  celebrated  gold-pits  of  Suyuc  near  Mancayan. 
All  these  quartz  reefs  are  worked  by  the  Igorrotes. 

Gold  is  also  found  near  Atimonan  in  Tayabas,  but  the 
neighbourhood  of  Paracale  and  Mambulao,  and  the  slopes 
of  Mount  Labo  are  most  famous  in  Manila. 

During  the  last  century  large  quantities  of  gold  were 
taken  from  the  surface-workings,  which  are  now  exhausted, 
or  only  afford  a  miserable  living  to  the  natives  who  treat 
the  auriferous  earths  in  a  very  primitive  way. 

The  gold  having  been  taken,  the  next  thing  was  to  use 
the  reputation  of  the  mines  to  attract  capital,  and  this  was 
done  to  some  considerable  extent,  one  company  being 
founded  on  the  ruins  of  another.  One  of  the  later  ones 
was  the  "  Ancla  de  Oro,"  or  Golden  Anchor,  but  its  capital 
was  expended  without  results.  The  late  Don  Antonio 
Enriquez,  a  Spanish  gentleman  well-known  to  British  and 
Americans  in  Manila,  worked  some  mining  properties  there 
for  some  years,  and  had  faith  in  them. 

He  consulted  me  about  them,  and  I  forwarded  some 
samples  of  the  ores  to  my  agents  in  London,  who  had  them 
analyzed  by  Messrs.  Johnson  &  Matthey,  but  the  results 
were  not  encouraging,  and  did  not  confirm  the  analysis 
made  in  Manila. 

About  1890,  Messrs.  Peele,  Hubbell  &  Co.  got  out  an 
American  mining  expert,  whose  name  I  forget,  but  I  believe 
he  was  a  mining  engineer  of  high  standing.  He  spent 
some  time  at  Mambulao  and  Paracale,  and  made  a  careful 
examination  of  the  country.  It  was  understood  that  his 
report  did  not  encourage  any  further  expenditure  in  pros- 
pecting or  development.  But  of  late  years  further  attempts 
have  been  made  to  boom  the  place,  and  the  Mambulao 
Gold  Mining  Syndicate,  London,  1893,  has  been  formed. 
I  am  unaware  on  what  new  information  the  promoters 
rely  to  justify  their  bringing  this  place  again  before  the 
public. 


THE  MINERALS :   GOLD  I49 

Surigao,  in  the  old  kingdom  of  Caraga,  is  rich  in  gold 
which  is  very  widely  disseminated.  Father  Llovera,  a 
missionary  who,  in  March,  1892,  made  an  excursion  up  the 
River  Siga  to  visit  some  unbaptized  Mamanuas  in  the 
mountains,  declares  that  the  sands  contain  much  gold,  so 
much  so  that  particles  were  plainly  visible.  This  river 
takes  its  rise  in  the  eastern  Cordillera,  between  Cantilan 
and  Jabonga,  and  runs  in  a  north-easterly  direction  into  the 
southern  part  of  Lake  Mainit.  The  missionary  also  declares 
that  veins  of  gold  were  visible  in  some  of  the  pieces  of 
rock  lying  in  the  bed  of  the  river,  which  they  broke  to 
examine.  But  he  does  not  seem  to  have  brought  back  any 
specimens,  as  one  would  expect. 

His  declaration  is  confirmed  by  Dr.  Montano,  a  French 
traveller  and  skilled  explorer,  who  however  does  not  say 
that  he  saw  the  gold  dust  amongst  the  sand. 

From  Surigao  to  Gigaquil  the  people  are  engaged  in 
washing  the  sands  for  gold. 

Foreman  states  that  for  many  months  remittances  of 
four  or  five  pounds  weight  of  gold  were  sent  from  Mindanao 
to  a  firm  in  Manila,  and  that  it  was  alluvial  gold  from 
Surigao  extracted  by  the  natives. 

Don  Jose  Centeno,  Inspector  of  Mines,  says  in  a  report : 
"  The  most  important  workings  effected  in  Surigao  are  in 
the  Caninon-Binutong  and  Cansostral  mountains,  a  day's 
journey  from  the  town. 

"  These  mountains  consist  of  slaty  talc  much  metamor- 
phosed, and  of  serpentine.  In  the  first  are  found  veins  of 
calcite  and  quartz  from  half-an-inch  to  three  inches  thick, 
in  which  especially  in  the  calcite  the  gold  is  visible  mixed 
with  iron  and  copper  pyrites,  galena  and  blende.  It  is  a 
remarkable  circumstance  that  the  most  mineralized  veins 
run  always  in  an  east  and  west  direction,  whilst  the  poor 
and  sterile  veins  always  follow  another  direction.  The 
workings  are  entirely  on  the  surface,  as  the  abundance  of 
water  which  flows  to  them  prevents  sinking  shafts,  and 
nothing  is  known  of  the  richness  at  depth.  Rich  and 
sterile  parts  alternate,  the  gold  being  mostly  in  pockets. 
From  one  of  the  veins  in  Caninoro  in  a  length  of  eighteen 
inches  one  lucndred  owices  of  gold  were  taken." 

Some  time  after  this  find,  Messrs.  Aldecoa  &  Co.,  a 
Manila  firm,  erected  stamps  at  Surigao,  and  a  certain 
amount  of  gold  was  sent  up  by  every  steamer  to  Manila, 
but   in  spite  of  the  apparently  favourable  circumstances, 


I50      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  enterprise  was  ultimately  abandoned  and  the  machinery 
removed. 

I  do  not  know  the  reason,  but  people  in  Manila  are  so 
used  to  the  collapse  of  mining  companies  that  it  is  regarded 
as  their  natural  and  inevitable  end,  and  no  explanations 
are  required. 

Nietc  (p.  75)  mentions  the  northern  parts  of  the  province 
of  Surigao  and  Misamis  as  the  richest  in  gold.  In  Misamis 
there  is  both  alluvial  gold  and  rich  quartz  reefs,  the  richest 
known  spots  being  Pighoulugan  on  the  River  Cagayan, 
Iponan  and  Pigtao.  The  ore  at  the  latter  place  is  auriferous 
iron  pyrites,  called  by  the  natives  Inga. 

Nuggets  weighing  from  two  and  a  half  to  four  ounces 
have  been  found  in  these  places,  so  that  Pigafetta's  stories 
are  not  without  foundation. 

On  March  20th,  1888,  a  clerk  of  Don  Louis  Genu,  a 
merchant  in  Manila,  called  upon  me  on  business  and 
exhibited  a  large  pickle  bottle  full  of  gold  which  he  had 
just  received  from  Cagayan  de  Misamis.  There  were 
several  pounds  weight  of  it,  and  I  carefully  examined  it 
with  a  lens.  I  found  it  in  pieces,  many  of  them  half  an 
inch  or  more  in  length,  slightly  flattened,  and  having 
minute  particles  of  white  quartz  adhering  to  them,  and 
a  few  loose  particles  of  quartz.  The  pieces  were  not 
water-worn,  and  had  evidently  formed  part  of  a  seam  of 
dendritic  or  lace  gold,  such  as  I  had  seen  exhibited  by 
a  vendor  of  mining  properties  in  Denver,  Col.,  just  a  year 
before. 

This  exhibit  opened  my  eyes  to  the  possibilities  of  gold 
mining  in  Mindanao,  but  I  did  not  leave  my  business  to  go 
prospecting. 

The  natives  of  this  part  of  Mindanao  look  upon  washing 
for  gold  as  their  chief  resource.  A  certain  quantity  of  what 
they  collect  is  used  to  make  ornaments,  and  passes  from 
hand  to  hand  instead  of  coin  in  payment  of  gambling  debts, 
and  stakes  lost  at  cockfights.  The  Mestizos  and  Chinamen 
get  hold  of  the  rest  and  send  it  away  surreptitiously,  so  that 
no  statistics  can  be  collected.  It  is  impossible  to  tax  gold 
collected  in  this  way,  but  the  Government  might  derive  a 
profit  by  establishing  posts  in  each  district  where  gold 
would  be  purchased  at  a  fixed  price  and  so  get,  say,  ten  or 
twenty  per  cent,  out  of  it  instead  of  allowing  the  Chinese 
and  Mestizos  to  make  perhaps  forty  or  fifty  per  cent, 
according  to  the  ignorance  of  the  vendor. 


Vf"  JaCc    p.    150. 


THE  MINERALS :   GOLD  151 

Foreman  is  probably  quite  right  in  saying  that  the 
influence  of  the  friars  has  always  been  exerted  against  any 
mining  company,  whether  Spanish  or  foreign.  They  did 
not  want  a  rush  .of  miners  and  Jews  to  the  Philippines. 
But  now,  under  the  American  Government,  their  power 
must  decline,  and  new  undertakings  will,  in  a  measure,  be 
free  from  this  hindrance. 

The  Spanish  mining  laws  and  regulations  are  excellent 
and  a  perfect  model  for  legislation  on  the  subject.  They 
are  based  on  the  principle  that  the  ownership  of  the  surface 
gives  no  title  to  the  minerals  underneath,  which  belong  to 
the  State.  The  owner  can,  however,  obtain  a  title  by 
developing  a  mine. 

The  ingenuity  and  unscrupulousness  of  that  vile  breed, 
the  native  Pica-Pleito  or  pettifogging  lawyer,  has  greatly 
contributed  to  stop  Europeans  from  proceeding  with  mining 
enterprises,  as  success  would  bring  down  these  blackmailers 
in  swarms. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  new  government  will  lay  a 
heavy  hand  on  these  birds  of  prey.  Rightly  considered, 
they  are  only  a  species  of  vermin,  and  should  have  verminous 
treatment. 

Now  that  the  fortune  of  war  has  handed  over  the 
sovereignty  of  the  Philippines  to  an  enterprising  and  ener- 
getic race,  I  cannot  doubt  that  the  mystery  of  centuries 
will  be  dispelled. 

Amongst  the  Californian,  Colorado,  or  Nevada  volun- 
teers, there  should  be  men  having  the  courage,  the  know- 
ledge of  prospecting,  and  the  physical  strength  necessary' 
for  success  in  this  quest,  if  they  can  obtain  permission  from 
their  superiors  to  attempt  it.  The  prospects  are  so  good 
that  they  should  not  have  any  difficulty  in  getting  capitalists 
to  finance  them. 

They  will  require  to  go  in  a  strong  party  to  prevent 
being  cut  off  by  the  savages,  and  to  escort  their  supplies  of 
provisions. 

As  deer  and  wild  pig  abound  they  will  be  able  to  supply 
themselves  in  a  great  measure  with  meat  by  sending  out  a 
couple  of  good  shots  to  hunt. 

For  such  as  these  gold  mining  ought  to  be  most  re- 
munerative, and  enable  those  who  survive  the  many  perils 
to  retire  with  a  fortune  after  a  few  years  of  hard  work. 
But  so  far  as  I  know  there  is  not  at  present  sufficient 
information  about  any  mines  in  the  Philippines,  whether  of 


152      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

gold  or  any  other  metal,  to  warrant  the  establishment  of 
companies  for  purchasing  and  working  them. 

Mining  claims  can  be  staked  out  and  registered  under 
the  present  laws  by  natives  or  foreigners,  but  in  limited 
areas,  and  placers  or  river  beds  can  be  worked  by  all 
without  leave  or  license,  and  cannot  be  monopolised. 

I  wish  to  avoid  prophesy,  but  I  shall  be  much  surprised 
if  the  Philippines,  in  American  hands,  do  not  turn  out  in  a 
few  years  an  important  gold-producing  country. 

Copper. 

Native  copper  has  been  found  in  several  places  in  the 
islands,  amongst  them  are  Surigao  and  Torrijos  in  Mindoro. 

In  the  article  on  the  Igorrotes,  I  have  spoken  of  the 
copper  mines  of  Mancayan,  and  related  how,  when  worked 
by  the  savages  they  were  successful  to  the  extent  of  supply- 
ing themselves  with  cooking-pots,  trays  and  ornaments, 
besides  leaving  an  annual  surplus  of  about  nineteen  tons  of 
copper,  which  was  sold. 

A  Spanish  company  obtained  the  concession  about 
1864,  and  drove  out  the  natives. 

The  title  was  the  Sociedad  Minera  de  Mancayan,  and 
they  experienced  considerable  difficulties  in  getting  a 
merchantable  product,  their  science  being  at  a  disadvantage 
compared  to  the  practical  knowledge  of  the  Igorrotes. 
They,  however,  persevered,  and  got  up  to  a  make  of  about 
180  tons  in  one  year — nearly  ten  times  the  production 
obtained  by  the  Igorrotes.  But  the  usual  fate  of  Philippine 
mining  companies  overtook  them,  and  the  works  were 
closed  in  1875,  it  was  said  from  scarcity  of  labour. 

Several  kinds  of  ores  are  found  at  Mancayan,  almost  on 
the  surface,  red,  black  and  grey  copper,  also  sulphates  and 
carbonates  of  copper. 

About  Mambulao  cupro-ferruginous  quartz  and  copper 
pyrites  are  found,  but  are  not  worked. 

I  am  quite  unable  to  venture  any  opinion  on  the 
prospects  of  copper-mining  and  smelting  in  the  Philippines, 
but  no  doubt  experts  will  shortly  obtain  the  necessary  data 
to  decide  what  can  be  done,  but  capital  should  be  laid  out 
with  great  caution,  and  the  many  difficulties  of  climate, 
carriage  and  labour  taken  into  consideration. 


THE  MINERALS:   IRON  153 


Iron. 

There  is  plenty  of  iron  ore  in  the  Philippines.  In  Luzon 
it  occurs  plentifully  in  the  western  spurs  of  the  Cordillera 
all  the  way  from  Bosoboso  to  San  Miguel  de  Mayumo,  and 
it  is  now  worked  near  the  latter  place  in  a  primitive  way. 
Plough-shares,  cooking-pots  and  bolos  are  the  principal 
productions  ;  the  fuel  used  in  all  cases  is  charcoal.  I  sent 
to  the  Philippine  Exhibition  of  1887  at  Madrid  a  dozen 
bolos  made  from  native  iron.  The  ore  is  very  rich,  giving 
70  to  80  per  cent,  of  iron  ;  when  polished  it  is  of  a  beautiful 
silvery  white  colour,  very  tough,  and  of  the  finest  quality. 
Attempts  have  been  made  by  Europeans  to  work  the  iron 
ores  of  Luzon,  but  they  have  invariably  ended  in  the 
bankruptcy  of  the  adventurers,  and  in  one  case  even  in 
suicide. 

When  deer-shooting  at  the  Hacienda  de  San  Ysidro 
above  Bosoboso  many  years  ago,  I  learned  from  the  natives 
there  that  in  the  next  valley,  not  far  from  the  hamlet  of 
Santa  Ines,  there  existed  the  remains  of  some  old  iron- 
works, abandoned  years  ago.  They  said  there  were  un- 
finished forgings  still  lying  about,  amongst  them  two 
anchors.  I  did  not,  however,  go  to  examine  them,  being 
intent  on  shooting. 

Red  hematite  is  found  in  Cebii,  brown  hematite  in 
Paracale  and  other  parts  of  Camarines  Norte,  and  both 
red  and  brown  in  Capiz.  In  Misamis  oxydized  iron  is 
found.  Some  of  the  iron  about  San  Miguel  de  Mayumo  is 
magnetic. 

I  do  not  believe  that  at  present,  and  for  many  years 
to  come,  it  is  possible  to  work  these  ores  and  make  iron 
and  steel  to  compete  with  American  or  British  imported 
iron. 

But  the  time  may  come  when,  under  different  conditions, 
these  remarkable  ores  may  be  turned  to  account  ;  in  fact, 
it  is  asserted  a  scarcity  of  high  class  iron  ore  will  soon 
occur,  in  which  case  the  Philippine  ores  of  such  extraordinary 
richness  will  come  into  use. 

Coal. 

It  is  common  to  see  coal  mentioned  amongst  the 
mineral  resources  of  the  Philippines,  but  so  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  learn,  no  true  coal  has  been  found  there,  nor  in 


154      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

any  of  the  adjacent  islands.  There  are  beds  of  h'gnite  of 
varying  quality,  and  when  enthusiastic  finders  are  told  of 
the  poor  quality  of  their  samples,  they  reply  at  once,  "  It 
will  be  better  at  depth." 

The  Philippine  formations  seem  to  greatly  resemble 
those  of  Borneo,  and  there  it  was  found  that  the  lignite  got 
poorer  at  depth,  so  that  mines  were  abandoned  from  this 
cause  alone. 

The  Philippine  beds  of  lignite  have  been  violently  up- 
heaved by  the  cataclysms  of  former  ages,  and  are  often 
turned  up  vertically,  as  at  the  mines  of  Sugud  in  Albay. 
I  was  consulted  about  these  mines  after  a  considerable  sum 
had  been  thrown  away.  The  Spanish  engineer  employed 
commenced  by  building  himself  a  commodious  house  ;  he 
then  laid  a  tramway  from  the  port  to  where  the  mine  was 
to  be,  and  bought  a  winding  engine.  The  available  capital 
was  expended,  and  nothing  more  was  done. 

The  position  of  the  seams  at  Sugud  very  much  resembles 
the  occurrence  of  the  seams  at  the  Pengaron  mine  in 
Borneo,  which  stopped  work  i8th  October,  1884,  after  a 
precarious  existence  of  thirty-six  years,  on  account  of  the 
poor  quality  of  the  coal  and  the  relatively  high  cost  of 
extraction.  This  is  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Theodor  Pose- 
witz  in  'Borneo:  its  Geology  and  Mineral  Resources,' 
1892,  and  what  follows  so  exactly  applies  to  all  the  so- 
called  coal  in  the  Philippines,  that  I  shall  quote  the 
paragraph : — 

P,  480. — "A  number  of  analyses  were  carried  out,  and  practical 
tests  were  applied  on  board  various  ships.  The  result  was  always 
more  or  less  favourable,  yet  nobody  would  have  the  coal." 

The  coal  mine  in  the  British  Colony  of  Labuan  was 
given  up  after  several  years'  working. 

People  blame  the  Spanish  Government,  the  priests,  the 
natives,  the  roads,  but  the  reason  of  failure  in  the  Philippines 
is  very  simple.  "  Nobody  would  have  the  coal,"  that  is  to 
say  on  board  ship.  The  lignite  could  be  used  on  land, 
but  there  is  little  demand  for  it,  except  for  navigation. 
Some  of  it  is  liable  to  spontaneous  combustion  in  the 
bunkers,  some  is  so  charged  with  sulphur  as  to  be  bad  for 
the  furnaces,  or  else  it  will  not  keep  steam.  I  doubt  if 
there  is  any  good  coal  between  Japan  and  Australia,  and 
as  long  as  coal  from  there  can  be  delivered  at  present 
prices  in  Manila,  I  don't  advise  anybody  to   put   money 


THE   MINERALS:   COAL 


155 


into  Philippine  coal  unless  they  know  more  about  it  than 
I  do. 

It  has  often  been  said  that  the  Philippines  have  never 
been  explored.  This  is,  however,  only  true  of  certain 
regions,  and  as  regards  beds  of  the  so-called  coal  you  will 
find  them  marked  on  the  maps  all  over  the  principal 
islands. 

If  you  proceed  to  the  village  nearest  the  spot,  you  will 
find,  very  probably,  that  the  seam  has  been  known  for  a 
century,  and  that  pits  or  adits  have  been  made  and  a  lot  of 
money  spent  to  no  purpose.  Nobody  ever  made  any  money 
out  of  Philippine  lignite  that  I  know  of,  but  I  don't 
prophesy  whether  anybody  ever  will. 

I  append  an  analysis  of  some  so-called  coal  that  was 
brought  me  from  Masbate  in  1889. 

Analysis  of  Masbate  Lignite. 

Laboratory  of  A,  del  Rosario  y  Sales. 

No.  1367.  i6//j  April,  1889. 

Lignite  from  Masbate. 
Colour,  black. 
Physical  condition,  fragile. 
Fracture,  splintery. 

Colour,  when  reduced  to  powder,  blackish  brown. 
Burns  with  difficulty,  giving  a  short  flame  ;  not  very  smoky,  and 
leaves  a  brick-red  ash. 

Coke  not  very  spongy,  pulverulent  and  lightly  agglutinated. 
Density  at  33°  C,  i  •3082. 


Coke 


Analysis. 

Hygroscopic  water 
Volatile  constituents 
Fixed  carbon 
'Silica 
Aluminic  . 
Ferric,  calcic 
Magnesic 
Chloric 
, Sulphuric  acids,  etc 


Ash 


3'73 

45*49 

48*20 

•12 


2'46 


Coke  =  50*79.     Equivalent  calories 

Ash    =    2*  58.     Absolute  calorific  effect,  centesimal 

Sulphur  per  100  of  hgnite  .... 

Iron  calculated  in  metallic  state 

Lead    reduced    by    i    gramme    of    combustible 
(mean)  by  Bcrthier's  assay    .         .     grammes 


5203-44 
64-41 
0-1633 
I-2I73 

21-90 


IS6      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Various  Minerals. 

Lead. — Galena  is  found  in  Tayabas  and  in  Camarines 
Norte  ;  in  the  latter  province  there  is  found  chromate  of 
lead  with  ferruginous  quartz.  This  ore  is  often  found 
mixed  with  iron  or  copper  pyrites,  and  sometimes  with 
blende. 

I  have  seen  samples  of  galena  from  Cebu  which  was 
said  to  be  auriferous,  but  I  have  never  heard  that  any  of 
these  ores  have  been  worked  anywhere  in  the  islands. 

If  it  should  be  found  profitable  to  smelt  the  gold- 
bearing  ores,  as  is  so  splendidly  done  at  Denver,  Col,  the 
galena  will  be  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  process. 

Red  Lead  is  found  in  Camarines  Norte  and  other 
places. 

Graphite. — In  1891  some  pieces  of  this  valuable  mineral 
were  shown  to  me  by  a  native,  who  said  he  had  found  the 
ore  in  Mindoro,  but  he  would  not  say  from  what  locality. 

Quicksilver. — I  have  seen  small  bottles  of  this  handed 
round  by  native  disciples  of  Ananias.  But  I  have  never 
seen  a  bit  of  cinnabar  or  other  ore  of  mercury,  and  I  shall 
not  believe  there  is  any  of  this  metal  in  the  Philippines 
until  I  see  the  ore  in  situ,  or  have  good  testimony  to  that 
effect. 

Sulphur  abounds  ;  there  are  several  places  where  it  can 
be  obtained  in  large  quantities  near  the  volcanoes. 

Asbestos. — This  curious  mineral  would  not  strike  a  native 
as  being  of  value. 

All  I  can  say  about  it  is  that  at  the  Madrid  Exhibition 
of  1887  a  specimen  of  this  substance  was  shown  by  the 
Civil  Governor  of  Ilocos  Norte  as  having  been  found  in 
that  province. 

Yellozv  Ochre  is  found  in  Batangas,  Camarines,  Albay, 
Leyte  and  Antique,  amongst  other  places. 

Kaoli7i  is  found  in  Manila,  Batangas  and  Camarines 
Sur,  and  probably  in  many  other  places. 

Marble  of  a  yellowish  colour  has  been  quarried  at 
Montalban.  I  have  used  some  of  it,  but  found  it  full  of 
faults,  and  not  very  satisfactory. 

Plastic  Clays  for  pottery  and  for  making  bricks  and 
tiles  abound. 

Mineral  Waters. — As  might  be  expected  in  a  volcanic 


VARIOUS  MINERALS  157 

region,  hot  springs  and  mineral  waters  of  very  varied  con- 
stituents abound. 

I  do  not  think  that  the  analyses  of  these  would  interest 
the  general  reader. 

I  may  say  that  I  have  derived  great  benefit  from  the 
hot-springs  of  Los  Baiios  on  the  lake,  and  greatly  regretted 
that  I  could  not  remain  at  the  extraordinary  vapour  baths 
of  Tibi  near  Tabaco. 


158      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MANUFACTURES   AND    INDUSTRIES. 

Cigars  and  cigarettes  —  Textiles — Cotton — Ahacd, — Jusi  —  Rengue — 
Nipis — Saguran — Sinamdy — Guingon — Silk  handkerchiefs — Pifia 
— Cordage — Bayones — Esteras — Baskets  —  Lager  beer — Alcohol 
— Wood  oils  and  resins — Essence  of  Ylang-ilang — Salt — Bricks — 
Tiles  —  Cooking-pots  —  Pilones  —  Ollas  — •  Embroidery  —  Gold- 
smiths' and  silversmiths'  work — Salacots — Cocoa-nut  oil — Saddles 
and  harness — Carromatas — Carriages — Schooners — Launches — 
Lorchas — Cascos — Pontines — Bangcas — Engines  and  boilers — 
Furniture — Fireworks — Lanterns — Brass  Castings — Fish  breeding 
— Drying  sugar — Baling  hemp — Repacking  wet  sugar — Packing 
tobacco  and  cigars — Oppressive  tax  on  industries — Great  future 
for  manufactures — Abundant  labour — Exceptional  inteUigence. 

The  manufactures  of  the  Philippines,  such  as  they  are, 
have  been  mentioned  when  describing  the  different  tribes 
or  peoples  and  only  a  summary  is  necessary  here. 

The  making  of  cigars  and  cigarettes  employs  probably 
30,000  people  in  the  Province  of  Manila,  the  vast  majority 
being  women.  But  the  best  cigars  are  made  by  men  who 
have  been  trained  under  skilled  operatives  brought  from 
Havana. 

A  vast  improvement  has  taken  place  since  the  Govern- 
ment monopoly  has  been  abolished,  and  now  the  Manila 
cigars  are  as  well-made  and  are  put  up  in  as  tastefully 
decorated  boxes  as  the  Havanas. 

Cigarettes  are  now  largely  made  by  machines ;  the 
Compaiiia  de  Tabacos  de  Filipinas  having  rows  of  them 
in  their  factories. 

Textiles  are  made  in  hand-looms  all  over  the  Archipelago 
by  the  women  in  their  spare  time. 

But  in  certain  Provinces  large  numbers  of  women  are 
regularly  employed  at  the  loom-working  for  those  who 
make  a  business  of  it.  In  Ilocos  and  Union  veiy  excellent 
coverlets,  sheets,  serviettes,  handkerchiefs    and  towels  are  ■ 


MAXUFACTURES   AND   INDUSTRIES  159 

woven  from  cotton,  as  well  as  the  fabrics  called  abacd,  jusi 
or  rengue,  nipis,  saguran,  sinamay  and  guingon.  This  last 
is  very  suitable  for  military  or  naval  uniforms  ;  it  is  a  blue 
cotton  cloth  similar  to  what  sailors  call  dungaree. 

In  some  of  the  towns  of  Pampanga  and  Bulacan. 
notably  in  Baliiiag  where  the  people  are  specially  clever 
and  industrious,  excellent  silk  handkerchiefs  are  woven. 
In  Camarines  and  Albay  the  fabrics  of  abaca  are  more 
commonly  woven,  and  in  Cebii  the  women  are  accustomed 
to  work  at  the  loom. 

But  it  is  from  Ilo-ilo  and  neighbourhood  that  a  very 
large  trade  is  done  with  the  other  islands  in  many  kinds  of 
textiles.  There  also  the  Visayas  work  industriously  at  it 
as  a  trade  and  produce  most  beautiful  fabrics  of  piiia,  silk, 
cotton,  and  abaca,  as  well  as  the  cheaper  sorts  for  the  use 
of  the  working  classes.  In  some  of  the  mixed  materials  a 
beautiful  effect  is  produced  by  running  stripes  of  silk, 
either  white  or  of  the  most  brilliant  colours,  lengthways 
through  the  piece.  I  have  sent  some  of  these  jusi  dress 
fabrics  to  ladies  in  England  and  they  have  been  greatly 
appreciated  when  made  up  by  a  bonne  faiscuse. 

They  are  very  suitable  for  wearing  in  the  Philippines  or 
elsewhere  in  the  tropics,  being  light  and  gauzy.  This 
material,  as  well  as  some  of  the  other  fine  gauzy  fabrics, 
takes  a  long  time  to  make  in  a  hand-loom,  the  advance  is 
imperceptible.  I  should  like  to  put  some  of  the  calumniators 
of  the  Filipinos  to  work  a  hand-loom  and  make  a  dress- 
length  of  jusi.  I  think  every  one  would  recant  before  he 
had  made  a  yard. 

At  the  Philippine  Exhibition  of  1887  there  were  more 
than  three  hundred  exhibitors  of  textiles,  and  one  of  them, 
the  Local  Board  of  Namaypacan  in  the  Province  of  Union, 
showed  one  hundred  and  forty-five  different  kinds  of  cloths. 

There  are  several  rope-works  at  Manila  and  the  material 
used  is  abaca,  the  ropes  produced  are  equal  to  any  to  be 
had  anywhere. 

In  Camarines  Sur  both  harness  and  hammocks  are  made 
from  this  material. 

In  the  Provinces  ropes  are  made  of  cabo-negro,  a  black 
fibre  from  the  wild  palm,  said  to  be  indestructible  ;  of  buri, 
of  fibre  from  the  anab6,  of  the  bark  of  the  lapuit,  and  of 
rattan.  Bayones  or  sacks  for  sugar,  esteras  or  sleeping 
mats,  hats  and  cigar  cases,  and  baskets  of  all  sorts,  are 
made  at  different  places  and  from  the  commonest  up  to  tlie 


i6o      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

very  finest.  That  called  the  Tampipi  is  now  regularly 
kept  in  stock  in  London,  and  is  very  handy  for  travelling. 

There  is  a  lager  beer  brewery  in  Manila  that  must 
have  piled  up  money  since  the  American  garrison  arrived. 

Alcohol  is  distilled  both  from  sugar  and  from  the  juice 
of  the  nipa-palm  {Nipa  friicticans). 

The  oils  and  resins  of  Ilocos  have  been  mentioned  when 
describing  the  Ilocanos  ;  they  are  not  exported,  finding  a 
ready  market  in  the  country. 

Essence  of  Ylang-ylang  is  distilled  in  Manila  and  other 
towns ;  it  used  to  fetch  formerly  looo  francs  per  kilo- 
gramme. 

Salt  is  made  at  many  places  between  Parafiaque  and 
Cavite. 

Bricks,  tiles,  cooking  pots  [bangas],  stoves  [calanes], 
sugar  moulds  [pilones],  and  draining  pots  for  the  pilones 
[ollas],  are  made  in  many  provinces. 

The  industry  of  the  women  is  also  shown  by  the  very 
beautiful  embroideries  of  all  sorts,  either  in  white  or  coloured 
silks  or  in  gold  or  silver.  Some  of  this  latter  work,  however, 
is  done  by  men. 

In  some  cases  they  introduce  seed-pearls  or  brilliant 
fish-scales  in  their  work.  The  slippers  worn  by  the  women 
on  grand  occasions  are  often  works  of  art,  being  richly 
embroidered  in  silver  and  gold  on  cherry  coloured  velvet. 

Some  notable  pieces  of  goldsmiths'  and  silversmiths' 
work  have  been  done  in  Manila,  and  in  the  provinces  some 
of  the  natives  carve  bolo  handles  and  other  articles  out  of 
buffalo  horn  and  mount  them  in  silver  with  much  taste. 

The  salacots,  or  native  hats,  are  beautifully  woven  by 
hand  from  narrow  strips  of  a  cane  called  nito  [lygodium], 
and  the  headmen  have  them  ornamented  with  many  pieces 
of  repousse  silver  {see  Illustration). 

Cocoa-nut  oil  is  expressed  in  the  province  of  the  Laguna, 
in  Manila  and  other  places.  Soap  of  the  ordinary  kind  is 
manufactured  from  it. 

Saddles  and  harness  are  made  in  all  the  leading  towns, 
and  the  ordinary  country  vehicle,  the  carromata,  is  made  in 
the  chief  towns  of  provinces  and  some  others  ;  but  some  of 
the  components,  such  as  the  springs,  and  axle-arms  and 
boxes  are  imported.  But  in  Manila  really  elegant  carriages 
are  constructed,  the  leather  for  the  hoods,  the  cloth  for  the 
linings,  the  lamps,  as  well  as  a  good  deal  of  the  ironwork, 
being,  however  imported. 


SALACOTS    AND    WOMEN'S    HATS. 


[  To  J'luc  p.   i6u. 


MANUFACTURES  AND  INDUSTRIES  i6i 

In  former  years  large  frigates  have  been  built,  armed, 
and  fitted  out  at  Cavite  and  other  ports,  but  at  present  the 
ship-building  industry  is  in  decadence,  and  the  shipwrights 
capable  of  directing  so  important  a  job  have  died  out.  The 
increasing  scarcity  and  high  price  of  timber  is  now  a 
difficulty,  and  sailing  vessels  are  in  little  demand.  Small 
steamers  and  launches  are  now  built,  but  larger  steamers 
are  ordered  from  Hong  Kong  or  Singapore,  or,  in  case  of 
vessels  well  able  to  make  the  passage,  the  order  goes  to 
England. 

The  native  craft  called  lorchas,  pailebotes,  pontines, 
barotos,  paraos,  cascos,  guilalos,  barangayanes,  bangcas, 
vintas  and  salisipanes  are  still  built  in  large  numbers.  The 
last  are  very  light  and  fast  craft  used  by  the  Moros  on  their 
piratical  expeditions. 

Engines  and  boilers  for  steam  launches  are  made  in 
Manila,  church  bells  are  cast  of  a  considerable  size  ;  iron 
castings  are  also  made. 

Amongst  the  miscellaneous  articles  manufactured  are 
all  sorts  of  household  furniture,  fireworks  and  lanterns. 
Dentists,  painters,  sculptors  and  photographers  all  practise 
their  trades. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Filipinos  have  learnt  a 
certain  amount  from  the  Spaniards  as  regards  their 
manufactures  ;  but,  on  careful  consideration,  I  think  they 
have  learnt  more  from  the  Chinese.  Their  first  sugar-mills 
were  Chinese  and  had  granite  rollers,  and  from  them  they 
learnt  the  trick  that  many  a  moulder  might  not  know,  of 
casting  their  sugar-pans  in  a  red-hot  mould  and  cooling 
slowly  and  so  getting  the  metal  extremely  thin  yet  free 
from  defects.  The  casting  of  brass  cannon  and  of  church 
bells  has  been  learnt  from  them,  and  doubtless  they  taught 
the  Igorrotes  how  to  reduce  the  copper  ores  and  to  refine 
that  metal.  Again,  the  breeding  of  fish,  an  important 
business  near  Manila,  and  the  manufacture  of  salt  round 
about  Bacoor  comes  from  them.  I  am  not  sure  whether 
the  hand-loom  in  general  use  is  of  the  Chinese  pattern,  but 
I  think  so. 

Distilling  the  nipa  juice  is  certainly  a  Chinese  industry, 
as  also  the  preparation  of  sugar  for  export.  This  is  done  in 
establishments  c^!i\&^  farderias,  and  is  necessary  for  all  sugar 
made  in  piUmes  or  moulds.  The  procedure  is  described 
under  the  head  of  Pampangos,  and  an  illustration  is  given 
of  the  process  of  drying  the  sugar  on  mats  in  the  sun. 

M 


1 62      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Many  native  men  and  women  and  numbers  of  Chinese 
coolies  arc  employed  in  Manila,  Ilo-ilo,  and  Ccbii  in 
preparing  produce  for  shipment. 

The  hemp  used  to  come  up  from  the  provinces  loose  or 
merely  twisted  into  rolls  to  be  pressed  into  bales  at  the 
shipping  ports,  but  of  late  years  several  presses  have  been 
erected  at  the  hemp  ports  in  Southern  Luzon  and  on  the 
smaller  islands. 

There  are  a  number  of  hemp-presses  in  Manila,  each 
requiring  about  sixty  coolies  to  work  it,  and  one  or  two 
clerks  to  attend  to  the  sorting  and  weighing. 

They  were  paid  so  much  per  bale  pressed. 

Steam,  or  hydraulic  presses,  would  long  ago  have  been 
substituted  bu'.  for  the  fact  that  the  clerks  or  pcrsoneros 
were  each  allowed  one  or  two  deadheads  on  the  pay  list,  and 
this  was  so  profitable  to  them  that  they  strongly  opposed 
any  changes,  and  none  of  the  merchants  cared  to  take  the 
risk  of  the  innovations. 

Two  presses  were  set  in  line,  astride  a  pair  of  flat  rails, 
a  small  one  called  the  Bito-bito  for  the  first  pressure  on  the 
pile  of  hemp,  and  the  large  one  to  squeeze  down  the  bale  to 
its  proper  size. 

They  were  simply  screw  presses  having  hardwood  frames 
set  deep  into  massive  stone  foundations  and  surrounded  by 
a  granite  pavement, 

A  pair  of  these  presses,  i.e.,  a  Bito-bito  and  a  press 
erected  in  Manila  under  my  direction  in  1888,  cost  $4400, 
the  woodwork  foundation  and  pavement  costing  $2850,  and 
the  screws,  nuts,  capstan-heads,  etc.,  costing  S^SSO-  The 
small  press  had  a  screw  4  inches  diameter  and  6  feet  long, 
and  was  worked  by  two  or  four  men.  The  large  press  had 
a  screw  8j  inches  diameter,  and  12  feet  long. 

Both  screws  worked  in  deep  gun-metal  nuts  and  had 
capstan-heads.  When  the  large  press  was  near  the  end 
of  its  travel  the  capstan  bars  were  manned  by  forty  coolies 
putting  out  their  utmost  strength  and  shouting  to  encourage 
each  other  as  they  tramped  round  on  the  upper  floor 
keeping  step. 

The  turn  out  was  about  250  bales  from  daylight  to 
dark.  Each  bale  weighed  2  piculs,  say  2S0  lbs.,  or  eight  to 
the  English  ton.  The  bales  should  measure  10  cubic  feet, 
that  is  a  density  of  28  lbs,  per  cubic  foot.  The  hemp  could 
be  pressed  into  a  smaller  volume,  but  it  is  asserted  that  the 
fibre  would  be  seriously  damaged.     Sometimes  from  care- 


MANUFACTURES  AND  INDUSTRIES  163 

less  pressing  the  bales  measure  12  cubic  feet.  They  swell 
after  leaving  the  press  and  after  being  moved. 

At  the  date  I  have  mentioned,  the  charge  for  screwage 
was  50  cents  per  picul,  but  it  has  been  raised  since  then. 

Dry  sugar  was  exported  in  its  original  bags,  and  loading 
and  shipping  cost  12^  cents  per  picul.  Wet  sugar  usually 
required  repacking  for  export,  and  the  charge  for  discharging 
the  coaster  and  rebagging  was  17^  cents  per  picul,  as  well 
as  I2i  cents  for  loading  and  shipping. 

It  lost  2\  per  cent,  in  weight  in  repacking  and  10  per 
cent,  during  the  voyage  in  sailing  vessel  to  Europe  or 
America.  So  that  altogether  one-eighth  of  the  total  was 
lost  to  the  shipper,  and  there  was  a  good  perquisite  to  the 
skipper  or  mate  in  pumping  the  molasses  out  of  the  bilges. 

The  repacking  was  usually  done  by  natives,  and  the 
old  mat  bags  scraped  by  women  who  receive  half  the  sugar 
they  save.  The  mats  are  sold  to  the  distillers  and  are 
thrown  into  their  fermenting  vats,  to  assist  in  the  manu- 
facture of  pure  Glenlivat  or  Bourbon  whisky,  Jamaica  rum 
or  Hollands  gin. 

In  1 89 1  I  saw  on  board  a  steamer  just  arrived  from 
Antwerp  hundreds  of  cases  containing  empty  gin  bottles 
packed  in  juniper  husk,  the  labels  and  capsules  bearing  the 
marks  of  genuine  Hollands. 

They  were  consigned  to  one  of  the  Manila  distillers, 
and  must  have  enabled  that  respectable  firm  to  make  a 
large  profit  by  selling  their  cheap  spirit  as  imported  liquor. 

Undoubtedly  the  manufactures  and  industries  of  the 
Philippines  are  in  a  primitive  condition,  but  the  tax  called 
the  Coiitribticion  Industrial  has  discouraged  improvements, 
for  as  soon  as  any  improved  machinery  or  apparatus  was 
adopted,  the  tax-gatherer  came  down  upon  the  works  for 
an  increased  tax.  Thus  any  sort  of  works  employing  a 
steam-engine  would  be  charged  at  a  higher  rate.  This  tax, 
if  it  cannot  be  abolished,  should  be  reformed. 

There  is  a  great  future  before  the  manufactures  of  the 
Philippines,  for  the  people  are  industrious,  exceptionally 
intelligent,  painstaking  and  of  an  artistic  temperament,  so 
that  an  ample  supply  of  labour  is  always  available  for  any 
light  work  if  reasonably  remunerated.  They  will  not  need 
much  teaching,  and  only  require  tactful  treatment  to  make 
most  satisfactory  operatives. 


M  2 


i64      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

COMMERCIAL   AND   INDUSTRIAL   PROSPECTS. 

Philippines  not  <a  poor  man's  country — Oscar  F.  Williams'  letter — No 
occupation  for  white  mechanics — American  merchants  unsuccess- 
ful in  the  East — Difficulties  of  living  amongst  Malays — Inevitable 
quarrels — Unsuitable  climate — The  Mali-mali  or  Sakit-latah — The 
Traspaso  de  hambre — Chiflados — Wreck  of  the  nervous  system. 
— Effects  of  abuse  of  alcohol — Capital  the  necessity — Banks — 
Advances  to  cultivators — To  timber  cutters — To  gold  miners — 
Central  sugar  factories — Paper-mills — Rice-mills — Cotton-mills — 
Saw-mills— Coasting  steamers — Railway  from  Manila  to  Batangas 
— From  Siniloan  to  the  Pacific — Survey  for  ship  canal — Bishop 
Gainzas'  project  —  Tramways  for  Luzon  and  Panay  —  Small 
steamers  for  Mindanao — Chief  prospect  is  agriculture. 

The  commercial  prospects  of  the  Islands  are  great,  even  if 
we  do  not  instantly  take  for  gospel  the  fairy  tales  we  are 
told  about  Manila  becoming  the  centre  of  the  trade  of  the 
Pacific.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  if  peace  and  an  honest 
administration  can  be  secured,  capital  will  be  attracted  and 
considerable  increase  in  the  export  of  hemp,  tobacco,  and 
sugar  will  gradually  take  place  as  fresh  land  can  be  cleared 
and  planted.  As  I  have  elsewhere  said,  the  Philippines  in 
energetic  and  skilful  hands  will  soon  yield  up  the  store  of 
gold  which  the  poor  Spaniards  have  been  so  mercilessly 
abused  for  leaving  behind  them.  But  the  Philippines 
are  not  and  never  will  be  a  country  for  the  poor  white  man. 
A  white  man  cannot  labour  there  without  great  danger 
to  his  health.  He  cannot  compete  with  the  native  or 
Chinese  mechanic,  in  fact  he  is  not  wanted  there  at  all. 
For  my  part,  I  would  never  employ  a  white  man  there  as  a 
labourer  or  mechanic,  if  I  could  help  it,  more  especially 
an  Englishman  or  an  American,  for  I  know  from  experience 
what  the  result  would  be.  As  foreman  or  overseer  a 
white  man  may  be  better,  according  to  his  skill  and 
character. 


COMMERCIAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL  PROSPECTS     165 

Now  let  me,  as  soon  as  possible,  expose  the  absurdity  of 
a  mischievous  letter,  which  I  fear  may  already  have  done 
much  harm,  but  I  hope  my  warning  may  do  something  to 
counteract  its  effects.  I  quote  from  the  Blue  Book  so  often 
mentioned  :  pp.  330-1. 

Mr.  Williams  to  Mr.  Day. 

U.  S.  S.  Baltimore,  Manila  Bay, 
July  2nd,  1898. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  *  • 

If  long  occupation  or  possession  on  the  part  of  our  government  be 
considered,  I  believe  early  and  strenuous  efforts  should  be  made  to 
bring  here  from  the  United  States  men  and  women  of  many  occupa- 
tions— mechanics,  teachers,  ministers,  ship-builders,  merchants,  elec- 
tricians, plumbers,  druggists,  doctors,  dentists,  carriage  and  harness 
makers,  stenographers,  type-writers,  photographers,  tailors,  black- 
smiths, and  agents  for  exporting,  and  to  introduce  American  products 
natural  and  artificial  of  many  classes.  To  all  such  I  pledge  every  aid, 
and  now  is  the  time  to  start.  Good  government  will  be  easier  the 
greater  the  influx  of  Americans. 

My  despatches  have  referred  to  our  present  percentage  of  export 
trade.  If  now  our  exports  come  here  as  intestate,  duty  free,  we  have 
practical  control  of  Philippine  trade,  which  now  amounts  to  many 
millions,  and  because  of  ingrafting  of  American  energy  and  methods 
upon  the  fabulous  natural  and  productive  wealth  of  these  islands, 
can  and  probably  will  be  multiplied  by  twenty  during  the  coming 
twenty  years.     All  this  increment  should  come  to  our  nation  and  not 

e^o  to  any  other. 

^  *  *  *  *  * 

I  hope  for  an  influx  this  year  of  10,000  ambitious  Americans,  and 
all  can  hve  well,  become  enriched.  .  .  . 

(Signed)        O.  F.  Williams, 

Consul. 

I  venture  to  say  that  the  man  who  wrote  this  astonishing 
letter,  taking  upon  himself  the  responsibility  of  advising 
"  early  and  strenuous  efforts "  to  send  from  the  United 
States  thousands  of  men  and  women  of  many  occupations 
to  Manila,  and  of  assuring  them  that  "  all  could  live  well 
and  become  enriched,"  knew  nothing  at  all  about  the 
state  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  and  is  a  most  unsafe 
guide. 

What  on  earth  would  all  these  tradespeople  find  to  do 
in  the  Islands  ?  Where  could  they  be  housed  .''  How 
could  they  be  supported  }  If  they  came  in  numbers,  the 
doctors  and  druggists  might  indeed  find  full  employment 
prescribing  and  making  up  medicine  for  the  many  sufferers 


i66      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

from  tropical  ailments,  especially  the  typhoid  fevers,  that 
would  attack  the  unacclimatised  immigrants  and  the 
ministers  could  earn  their  daily  bread  by  reading  the 
Burial  Service,  whilst  the  type-writers  would  be  busy 
typing  letters  to  friends  at  home  announcing  the  deaths 
that  occurred  ;  and  warning  them  against  coming  to  starve 
in  Manila.  But  I  defy  any  one  to  explain  how  the  ship- 
builders, electricians,  plumbers,  tailors  and  blacksmiths  are 
to  make  a  living.  As  regards  merchants  or  agents  for 
exporting,  I  may  say  that  Americans  have  not  been  very 
successful  in  Manila  in  this  capacity.  The  great  and  in- 
fluential firm  of  Russell  &  Sturgis  came  to  grief  through 
over-trading,  and  another  noteworthy  firm,  IMessrs.  Peele, 
Hubbell  &  Co.  failed  from  rash  speculations  in  sugar,  and 
not  from  any  persecutions  by  the  Spanish  authorities,  as 
has  been  falsely  stated  in  a  magazine  article.  I  speak  with 
knowledge  on  the  matter,  as  I  was  well  acquainted  with 
this  firm,  having  been  their  Consulting  Engineer  for  the 
construction  of  the  Slipway  at  Caiiacao  for  which  they 
were  agents.  I  think  it  only  right  to  say  that  the  gentle- 
men who  were  heads  of  these  American  firms  were  worthy 
upholders  of  the  high  reputation  of  their  country.  They 
failed,  but  no  imputations  rested  on  the  characters  of  the 
partners,  and  I  have  always  heard  them  spoken  of  with 
great  respect,  especially  amongst  the  natives. 

Those  of  them  who  were  personally  known  to  me  were 
men  who  invariably  showed  every  courtesy  and  considera- 
tion to  all  who  came  in  contact  with  them,  whether  Euro- 
peans or  natives.  Notwithstanding  their  misfortunes  they 
were  a  credit  to  their  country,  and  they  did  a  good  deal 
towards  the  development  of  the  trade  of  the  Philippines. 

I  believe  that  the  estates  of  Russell  &  Sturgis  when 
realised,  paid  all  their  liabilities  in  full,  and  besides  left 
considerable  pickings  in  the  hands  of  the  liquidators  and 
their  friends.  Two  or  three  firms  were  built  up  out  of  their 
ruins.  Some  Chinese  half-castes  and  natives  had  received 
heavy  advances  from  this  firm,  especially  about  Molo  and 
Yloilo.  One  well-known  individual  had  received  $60,000, 
and  when  summoned  before  the  court  he  claimed  the 
benefit  of  the  '  Laws  of  the  Indies,'  by  which  his  liability 
was  limited  to  %^.  The  judge,  however,  ordered  him  to 
repay  the  principal  at  the  rate  of  a  dollar  a  vicntJi  !  I  had 
this  information  from  the  judge  himself 

Curiously    enough,    American    merchants    have    been 


COMMERCIAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL   PROSPECTS     167 

equally  unsuccessful  in  other  parts  of  the  Far  East. 
Many  will  remember  the  failure  of  Messrs.  Oliphant  &  Co., 
the  great  China  merchants,  agents  for  the  American  Board 
of  Missions,*  notwithstanding  their  desperate  effort  to 
retrieve  their  position  by  reviving  the  coolie  trade  with 
Peru,  and  in  later  days  Messrs.  Russell  &  Co.  of  Hong 
Kong  also  came  to  grief 

I  can  give  no  explanation  of  the  reasons  for  these  four 
great  failures,  but  I  conjecture  that  all  these  firms  were  in 
too  much  of  a  hurry,  and  tried  to  "  hustle  the  East."  Yet 
in  face  of  this  calamitous  experience,  Oscar  F,  Williams 
advises  more  to  come,  "  pledges  every  aid,"  and  predicts 
that  "  trade  can,  and  probably  will,  be  multiplied  by  twenty 
during  the  coming  twenty  years." 

For  my  part,  I  should  think  it  great  progress  if  the 
exports  and  imports  of  the  Philippines  could  be  doubled  in 
twenty  years.  The  idea  of  sending  plumbers  to  Manila 
where  lead  pipes  are  not  used,  is  a  comicality  only  matched 
by  the  suggestion  that  tailors  arc  wanted  amongst  a  popu- 
lation dressed  in  cotton  shirts  and  trousers,  and  where  the 
white  people  wear  veranda-made  white  duck  suits. 

Both  notions  are  more  suitable  for  a  comic  opera  than 
for  an  official  document. 

There  is  only  one  more  paragraph  in  this  letter  that 
I  need  comment  on. 

Mr.  Williams  says  :  "  Good  government  will  be  easier, 
the  greater  the  influx  of  Americans." 

To  those  who  know  the  East  there  is  no  necessity  to 
argue  on  this  point.  I  therefore  state  dogmatically  that  the 
presence  of  white  settlers  or  working  people  in  the  Islands 
would  add  enormously  to  the  difficulties  of  government, 
This  is  my  experience,  and  during  the  Spanish  Adminis- 
tration it  was  generally  admitted  to  be  the  case. 

In  British  India  the  Government  does  not  in  the  least 
degree  favour  the  immigration  of  British  workmen.  The 
only  people  who  are  recognised  as  useful  to  that  country 
are  capitalists  and  directors  of  Agricultural  or  Industrial 
enterprises, 

A  large  number  of  American  mechanics  turned  loose 
amongst  the  population  would  infallibly,  by  their  contempt 
for  native  customs,  and  their  disregard  of  native  feeling, 
become  an  everlasting  source  of  strife  and  vexation.     Im- 

*  Their  Hong  was  colloquially  known  as  Sion  Corner, 


i68      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

partial  justice  between  the  parties  would  be  unattainable  ; 
the  whites  would  not  submit  to  be  judged  by  a  native 
magistrate,  and  the  result  would  be  a  war  of  races. 

It  maybe  taken  as  probable  that  there  is  no  crime,  how- 
ever heinous,  that  could  be  committed  by  an  American  upon 
a  native,  that  would  involve  the  execution  of  the  death 
penalty  on  the  criminal.*  On  the  other  hand,  I  can  quite 
believe  that  natives  laying  their  hands  upon  Americans, 
whatever  the  provocation,  would  be  promptly  hanged,  if 
they  were  not  shot  down  upon  the  spot.  The  natives,  it 
should  be  remembered,  are  revengeful,  and  will  bide  their 
time  ;  either  to  use  the  bolo  upon  one  who  has  offended 
them,  to  burn  down  his  house,  set  fire  to  his  crop,  or  put  a 
crow-bar  in  amongst  his  machinery.  I  fear  that  American 
brusqueness  and  impatience  would  often  lead  to  these 
savage  reprisals. 

I  think,  therefore,  that  the  American  Administration  of 
the  Philippines  should  be  empowered  to  prevent  or  regulate 
the  immigration  of  impecunious  Americans  or  Europeans 
whose  presence  in  the  Islands  must  be  extremely  preju- 
dicial to  the  much-desired  pacification.  No,  the  poor  white 
is  not  wanted  in  the  Islands,  he  would  be  a  curse,  and  a 
residence  there  would  be  a  curse  to  him.  He  would  decay 
morally,  mentally,  and  physically.  The  gorgeous  East  not 
only  deteriorates  the  liver,  but  where  a  white  man  lives 
long  amongst  natives,  he  suffers  a  gradual  but  complete 
break-up  of  the  nervous  system.  This  peculiarity  manifests 
itself  amongst  the  natives  of  the  Far  East  in  the  curious 
nervous  disorder  which  is  called  mali-mali  in  the  Philippines 
and  sakit-latah  amongst  the  Malays  of  the  Peninsula  and 
Java.  It  seems  to  be  a  weakening  of  the  will,  and  on 
being  startled,  the  sufferer  entirely  loses  self-control  and 
imitates  the  movements  of  any  person  who  attracts  his 
attention.  It  is  more  prevalent  amongst  women  than  men. 
I  remember  being  at  a  performance  of  Chiarini's  Circus  in 
Manila,  when  General  Weyler  and  his  wife  were  present. 
The  clown  walked  into  the  ring  on  his  hands,  and  a  skinny 
old  woman  amongst  the  spectators  who  suffered  from  the 
mali-mali  at  once  began  to  imitate  him  with  unpleasing 
results,  and  had  to  be  forcibly  restrained  by  the  scandalised 
bystanders. 

*  See  the  sentence  of  court-martial  on  Julius  Arnold,  musician  of 
M  Company,  25th  Infantry,  for  murdering  a  woman  under  the  most 
atrocious  circumstances  it  is  possible  to  imagine. 


^i 


COMMERCIAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL  PROSPECTS     169 

Running  amok  marks  a  climax  of  nerve  disturbance, 
when  the  sufferer,  instead  of  committing  suicide,  prefers  to 
die  kiUing  others. 

He  usually  obtains  his  wish,  and  is  killed  without 
compunction,  like  a  mad  dog. 

Both  natives  and  white  residents  are  at  times  in  rather 
a  low  condition  of  health,  and  if  after  exercise  or  labour 
they  fail  to  get  their  meal  at  the  proper  time,  when  it  comes 
they  cannot  eat.  In  its  lighter  form  this  is  called  desgdna 
or  loss  of  appetite,  but  I  have  seen  natives  collapse  under 
such  circumstances  with  severe  headache  and  chills.  This 
more  serious  form  is  known  as  traspaso  dc  Jiambre,  and  is 
sometimes  the  precursor  of  fever  and  nervous  prostration. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  has  had  the  wisdom  to 
recognise  and  make  allowance  for  the  liability  of  residents 
and  natives  of  the  Philippines  to  this  serious  disorder,  and 
has  relaxed  the  usual  rules  of  fasting,  as  being  dangerous 
to  health. 

Amongst  the  Europeans  who  have  been  long  in  the 
Islands,  many  are  said  to  be  "  chiflado,"  a  term  I  can  only 
render  into  English  by  the  slang  word  cracked.  This  occurs 
more  particularly  amongst  those  who  have  been  isolated 
amongst  the  natives. 

It  is  not  easy  to  account  for,  but  the  fact  is  undeniable. 
I  have  heard  it  ascribed  to  "  telluric  influence,"  but  that  is 
a  wide  and  vague  expression.  Perhaps  the  explanation 
may  be  found  in  the  extreme  violence  of  the  phenomena  of 
nature. 

The  frequent  earthquakes,  the  almost  continuous  vibra- 
tion of  the  soil,  the  awe-inspiring  volcanic  eruptions,  with 
their  sooty  black  palls  of  ash  darkening  the  sky  for  days 
together,  over  hundreds  of  miles,  the  frightful  detonations,* 
the  ear-splitting  thunder,  the  devastating  rage  of  the 
typhoons,  the  saturated  atmosphere  of  the  rainy  season, 
and  the  hot  dry  winds  of  Lent,  with  the  inevitable  con- 
flagrations, combine  with  depressing  surroundings  and 
anxieties  to  wreck  the  nerves  of  all  but  the  strongest 
and  most  determined  natures.  If  to  all  this  the  white 
resident  or  sojourner  in  the  Philippines  adds  the  detestable 
vice  of  intemperance,   or  even  indulges  in  a  liberal  con- 

*  The  Krakatoa  explosion  was  heard  all  over  the  Southern  Philip- 
pines like  the  iiring  of  heavy  guns,  although  the  distance  in  a  straight 
line  is  over  1500  miles.  This  will  give  some  idea  of  the  loudness  of 
volcanic  explosions. 


I70      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

sumption  of  spirits,  then  instead  of  merely  shattering  his 
nerves,  he  is  likely  to  become  a  raving  maniac,  for  it  takes 
much  less  whisky  to  bring  on  delirium  tremens  there,  than 
it  does  in  a  temperate  climate. 

Long  sojourn  in  some  other  lands  appears  to  act  in  a 
different  manner.  In  tropical  Africa  it  seems  to  be  the 
moral  balance  that  is  lost.  The  conscience  is  blunted  if  not 
destroyed,  the  veneer  of  civilisation  is  stripped  off,  the 
white  man  reverts  to  savagery.  The  senseless  cruelties  of 
l^eters,  Lothaire,  Voulet,  Chanoine,  and  of  some  of  the 
outlying  officials  of  the  Congo  Free  State  are  not  mere 
coincidences.  They  must  be  ascribed  to  one  common 
cause,  and  that  is  debasement  by  environment.  The 
moral  nature  of  a  white  man  seems  to  become  contami- 
nated by  long  isolation  amongst  savages  as  surely  as  the 
physical  health  by  living  amongst  lepers. 

If  a  poor  white  man  wishes  to  sink  to  the  level  of  a 
native,  he  has  only  to  marry  a  native  woman,  and  his  object 
will  be  fully  attained  in  a  few  years.  But  he  will  find  it 
very  much  to  his  pecuniary  interest,  for  she  will  buy  cheaper 
and  sell  dearer  than  he  can,  and  will  manage  his  house  and 
his  business  too,  most  economically.  Some  of  her  relations 
will  come  and  live  with  him,  so  that  he  will  not  feel  lonely, 
and  a  half-caste  family  will  grow  up  round  about  him, 
talking  the  dialect  of  their  mother,  which  he,  perhaps,  does 
not  understand.  But  if  the  poor  white  man  takes  out  a 
white  wife,  he  will  probably  have  the  pain  and  distress  of 
seeing  her  fade  away  under  the  severity  of  the  climate, 
which  his  means  do  not  permit  him  to  alleviate.  White 
women  suffer  from  the  heat  far  more  than  men.  Children 
cannot  be  properly  brought  up  there  after  the  age  of  twelve. 
They  must  either  be  sent  home  to  be  educated,  or  allowed 
to  deteriorate  and  grow  up  inferior  to  their  parents  in 
health,  strength,  and  moral  fibre.  When  I  think  of  these 
things,  I  feel  amazed  at  Oscar  F.  Williams'  presumption  in 
writing  that  letter.  I  hope  that  not  many  have  taken  his 
advice,  and  that  any  who  have  will  call  on  him  to  fulfil  his 
imprudent  pledges. 

However,  now  I  have  done  with  the  poor  white  man. 
Capital  is  the  great  necessity  of  the  Philippines.  The 
labour  is  there  if  Generals  Otis  and  McArthur  have  left  any 
natives  alive. 

More  banks  are  wanted.  At  present  there  are  three 
important  banks  in  Manila,  and  two  of  them  have  branches 


COMMERCIAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL  PROSPECTS     171 

in  Yloilo,  The  Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai  Banking  Cor- 
poration has  the  largest  resources  ;  next  comes  the  Char- 
tered Bank  of  India,  Australasia,  and  China,  and  lastly 
the  Banco  Espaiiol  Filipino.  The  first  two  give  the  most 
perfect  facilities  for  business.  I  was  only  interested  in 
importing,  but  certainly  nothing  more  could  be  desired  by 
an  importer  than  their  system  of  opening  credits  against 
shipping  documents  ;  for  practically  he  only  had  to  pay  for 
the  goods  when  they  arrived  in  Manila.  All  their  business 
was  done  in  the  most  expeditious  manner,  and  I  could 
suggest  no  improvement  on  their  methods. 

The  Banco  Espaiiol  Filipino  was  in  a  measure  under 
government  control,  its  procedure  was  consequently  very 
slow,  and  its  ways  those  of  bygone  days. 

These  banks,  however,  did  not  advance  money  to  culti- 
vators to  clear  lands,  plant  crops,  or  erect  machinery,  as  the 
returns  are  too  slow,  not  to  say  doubtful.  Yet  this  is  what 
is  wanted  ;  banks  in  IManila  and  the  chief  towns  that  will 
advance  money  for  such  purposes,  under  the  advice  of 
experts  personally  acquainted  with  the  cultivators  and  their 
lands.  Such  a  business  certainly  requires  great  intelligence 
and  discernment. 

Still  there  is  a  future  for  such  banks,  for  agriculturists 
have  to  pay  enormous  rates  of  interest  and  commissions  for 
money  to  carry  on  their  plantations.  Such  banks  could 
also  finance  timber-cutters,  gold  miners,  and  other  bona  fide 
workers. 

Amongst  the  enterprises  I  have  recommended  when 
writing  about  the  Pampangos,  and  others  engaged  in 
planting  sugar-cane,  is  the  establishment  of  central  sugar 
factories  in  suitable  localities.  Such  undertakings,  judi- 
ciously administered,  would  have  every  prospect  of  success. 

There  is  also  room  for  paper-mills,  rice-mills,  cotton- 
mills,  and  saw-mills,  but  all  these,  especially  the  last,  need 
careful  consideration  for  the  selection  of  the  locality  where 
they  are  to  be  placed.  The  manufacture  of  various  kinds 
of  leather  could  be  greatly  extended  and  improved.  There 
is  employment  for  more  coasting  steamers  and  schooners. 
The  latter  and  hulls  of  small  steamers  can  be  built  in  the 
country  from  the  native  timber. 

Although  the  development  of  means  of  communication 
is  all-important,  it  is  evident  from  the  configuration  of  the 
Archipelago  that  no  great  length  of  railway  is  required,  nor 
would  it  pay  to  construct  them  in  so  mountainous  a  country. 


i-ji      THE  INIIABITANIS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

Water-carriage  is  all-important.  In  Luzon  a  line  of  railway 
i"ni<^ht  be  made  from  Manila  to  Batangas  with  a  branch 
into  the  Laguna  province.  It  would  traverse  a  fertile  and 
thickly-populated  country. 

A  short  line  of  railway  or  electric  tramway  from  near 
Siniloan  on  the  Lake  to  the  Pacific  would  be  most  useful  in 
giving  access  to  and  developing  the  eastern  coast,  or  contra 
costa,  as  it  is  called.  This  coast  is  very  backward  in  every 
way,  indeed  from  Baler  to  Punta  Escarpada  on  its  extreme 
north,  it  is  quite  unknown,  and  remains  in  the  possession 
of  the  Dumagas,  an  aboriginal  tribe  of  heathen  savages  of 
low  type,  just  as  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  conquest  ;  and 
it  would  be  worth  while  to  study  the  question  of  cutting  a 
ship-canal  through  this  narrow  strip  of  land  if  the  mouth 
could  be  protected  from  the  Pacific  surf.  There  is  also 
Bishop  Gainza's  project  that  might  be  revived,  that  of 
cutting  a  canal  for  country  craft  from  Pasacao  in  Camarines 
Sur  to  the  River  Vicol.  In  Negros  and  Panay  some  short 
lines  from  the  ports  through  the  sugar  lands  might  pay  if 
constructed  very  economically. 

Tramways  between  populous  towns  not  far  apart  in 
Luzon  and  Panay  would  probably  pay  very  well,  as  the 
people  are  fond  of  visiting  their  friends. 

It  will  probably  be  many  years  before  Mindanao  will 
be  in  a  position  to  warrant  the  construction  of  railways. 
The  island  has  relapsed  into  barbarism  as  a  consequence  of 
the  withdrawal  of  the  Spanish  garrisons  and  detachments, 
and  of  nearly  all  the  Jesuit  missionaries. 

It  could,  however,  give  employment  to  a  flotilla  of 
small  steamers  and  sailing  vessels  on  its  northern  and 
southern  coasts. 

Such  is  my  opinion  in  brief  upon  the  possibilities  of  the 
development  of  industries  and  commerce. 

That  the  commerce  of  the  islands,  now  mainly  British, 
will  ultimately  pass  into  American  hands,  can  scarcely  be 
doubted.  They  are  not  yet  firmly  seated  in  power,  but 
their  attitude  to  British  and  foreign  firms  is  already  suffi- 
ciently pronounced  to  allow  an  observant  onlooker  to  make 
a  forecast  of  what  it  will  be  later  on. 

Dominating  Cuba,  holding  the  Philippines,  the  Sandwich 
Islands  and  Porto  Rico,  the  Americans  will  control  the  cane 
sugar  trade,  the  tobacco  trade,  and  the  hemp  trade,  in 
addition  to  the  vast  branches  of  production  they  now  hold 
in  their  hands 


(     173    ) 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

LIFE   IN    MANILA. 

{A    CHAPTER  FOR    THE  LADIES.) 

Climate — Seasons — Terrible  Month  of  May — Hot  winds — Longing  for 
rain — Burst  of  the  monsoon — The  Alimoom — Never  sleep  on  the 
ground  floor — Dress — Manila  houses — Furniture — Mosquitoes — 
Baths — Gogo — Servants — Wages  in  1S92— The  Maestro  cook — • 
The  guild  of  cooks — The  Mayordomo — Household  budget,  1892 
— Diet— Drinks  — Ponies — Carriage  a  necessity  for  a  lady — The 
garden — Flowers — Shops  —  Pedlars — Amusements — Necessity  of 
access  to  the  hills — Good  Friday  in  Manila. 

Climate. 

The  average  shade  temperature  of  Manila  all  the  year 
round  is  83^  Fahrenheit.  The  highest  I  have  ever  seen 
there  was  96^,  at  2  P.M.  in  May,  and  the  lowest  6d>°,  at 
6  A.M.  in  December. 

The  temperature  of  the  sea-water  on  the  shore  at 
Malate  is  usually  82°,  and  that  of  well-water  about  the 
same.  The  water-pipes  from  the  reservoir  at  San  Juan  del 
Monte  are  not  buried,  but  are  carried  on  an  embankment. 
They  are  partly  shaded  from  the  sun  by  clumps  of  bamboos, 
but  on  a  hot  afternoon  the  water  sometimes  attains  a 
temperature  of  90°. 

Those  figures  are  high,  yet  the  heat  is  mitigated  by  the 
sea-breeze,  and  the  nights  are  usually  cool  enough  to  allow 
a  refreshing  sleep. 

The  climate  of  Manila  is  not  harmful  to  the  constitutions 
of  healthy  Europeans  or  Americans  between  twenty  and 
fifty  years  of  age,  provided  they  at  once  adopt  a  mode  of 
life  suitable  to  the  country,  and  in  clothing,  diet,  habits  and 
recreations,  adapt  themselves  to  the  new  conditions.  On 
the  other  hand,  I  apprehend  that,  for  persons  of  either  sex 
over  fifty  who  have  had  no  previous  experience  of  life  in 
the  tropics,  there  will  be  great   difficulty  in  acclimatising 


174      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

themselves,  and  the  mortality  amongst  such  will  be  ab- 
normal. Ladies'  complexions  will  not  suffer  more  than 
if  they  lived  in  a  steam-heated  house  in  Harlem,  New 
York. 

In  all  this  part  of  the  world  the  weather  depends  upon 
the  monsoons.  These  blow  with  great  regularity  over  the 
ocean,  six  months  from  the  north-east  and  six  months  from 
the  south-west.  Their  action  on  any  particular  place  is, 
however,  modified  by  the  situation  of  mountains  with 
regard  to  that  place.  The  changes  of  the  monsoon  occur 
in  April-May  and  October-November.  It  is  the  south- 
west monsoon  that  brings  rain  to  Manila,  and  it  has  a  fine 
stretch  of  the  China  Sea  to  career  over,  all  the  way,  in 
fact,  from  the  shores  of  Sumatra,  till  it  drives  the  billows 
tumbling  and  foaming  into  the  bay. 

The  typhoons  form  far  out  in  the  Pacific  near  the  region 
of  the  Western  Carolines,  and,  whirling  round  the  opposite 
way  to  the  hands  of  a  watch,  they  proceed  on  a  curve  that 
may  strike  Luzon,  or,  perhaps,  go  on  for  a  thousand  miles 
or  more,  and  carry  death  and  destruction  to  the  fishermen 
of  Fo  Kien  or  Japan. 

When  a  typhoon  passes  clear,  the  usual  result  is  several 
days  of  continuous  heavy  rain,  but  the  air  is  cleared  and 
purified.  But  should  the  vortex  of  the  cyclone  pass  over 
your  residence,  you  will  not  be  likely  to  forget  it  for  the 
rest  of  your  life. 

The  year  in  Manila  may  be  roughly  divided  into  three 
seasons : — 

Rainy  Season — June,  July,  August,  September.  In  these 
four  months  about  loo  inches  of  rain  may  fall,  and  20 
more  in  the  rest  of  the  year. 

Cool  Season  (so-called) — October,  November,  December, 
January. 

Hot  Season — February,  March,  April,  May. 

May  is  the  terrible  month  of  the  year,  the  month  of 
fevers  and  funerals.  Let  all  who  can,  leave  Manila  before 
this  month  arrives. 

Hot,  dry  winds,  dust-laden,  pervade  the  houses,  and 
have  such  an  effect  even  on  well-seasoned  hardwoods,  that 
tables,  wardrobes  and  door-panels,  split  from  end  to  end,  or 
from  top  to  bottom,  with  a  noise  like  a  pistol-shot,  leaving 
cracks  a  quarter  of  an  inch  wide  that  gape  till  the  rainy 
season  restores  the  moisture. 


LIFE  IN  MANILA:   CLIMATE  175 

At  this  time  the  heat  is  at  its  maximum,  and  all  nature 
gasps  or  fades.  Not  a  drop  of  rain  has  fallen  for  months, 
the  roads  are  inches  deep  in  dust,  the  rivers  nearly  stagnant, 
and  covered  with  a  green  scum,  the  whole  country  quite 
brown,  the  vegetation  burnt  up  by  the  sun.  Only  the 
cockroaches  rejoice  ;  at  this  season  they  fly  at  night,  and 
you  may  have  a  few  fine  specimens  of  the  Blatta  Orientalis 
alight  on  your  face,  or  on  the  back  of  your  neck,  should 
you  doze  a  moment  on  your  long  chair.  Personally,  I  am 
proof  against  a  good  deal,  but  must  confess  that  the  hairy 
feet  of  a  cockroach  on  my  face  or  neck  make  me  shudder. 

As  the  month  draws  to  a  close,  every  afternoon  the 
storm-clouds  gather  over  the  Antipolo  Hills.  All  Manila, 
lying  in  the  glare  and  dust,  prays  for  rain.  Overhead,  a 
sky  like  burnished  copper  darts  down  heat-rays  that 
penetrate  the  roofs,  and  literally  strike  the  heads  of  the 
occupants.  The  dry  air  is  surcharged  with  electricity  to 
such  an  extent  that  every  living  thing  feels  the  powerful 
influence  ;  the  sweetest  natures  become  irritable,  and  quite 
ready  to  admit  that  "  this  is,  indeed,  a  beastly  world." 

The  nervous  system  suffers,  the  newspapers  relate  cases 
of  stabbing,  or  even  running  amok  amongst  the  natives, 
and  perhaps  some  suicides  occur.  If,  as  not  unfrequently 
happens,  you  should  at  this  time  receive  an  invitation  to 
the  funeral  of  a  friend  or  compatriot  just  deceased  from 
typhoid  fever,  and  to  be  buried  within  twenty-four  hours, 
you  will  begin  to  wonder  whether  Manila  is  good  enough 
for  you.  Day  after  day  the  rain-clouds  disperse  amidst  the 
rumbling  of  a  distant  thunder-storm,  and  day  after  day  do 
longing  eyes  watch  for  their  coming,  and  hope  for  the 
cloud-burst. 

At  last,  when  the  limit  of  endurance  seems  reached,  a 
cool  breath  of  air  heralds  the  downpour.  The  leaves 
rustle,  the  feathery  bamboos  incline  before  the  blast,  the 
sky  darkens,  the  cataracts  of  heaven  are  loosed,  and  the 
water  tumbles  down  in  torrents. 

Now  keep  yourself  in  the  house,  and  on  the  upper 
floor,  and  let  the  water  from  your  roofs  run  to  waste. 
The  natives,  usually  so  careless  of  a  wetting,  avoid  bathing 
or  wetting  themselves  with  the  first  waters,  which  they 
consider  dangerous,  and  not  without  reason.  The  exhala- 
tions from  the  newly-wetted  earth  are  to  be  avoided  ;  these 
earth-vapours  are  called  by  the  Tagals  Alinwoju.  Now 
the  dust  is  washed  off  the  roofs  and  leaves,  and  in  three 


176      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


days  the  fallows  are  covered  with  small  shoots  of  grass  or 
weeds,  the  maidenhair  ferns  and  mosses  spring  from  every 
stone  wall.  The  reign  of  dust  is  over ;  the  reign  of  mud 
begins.  Now  the  frogs  inaugurate  their  nightly  concerts. 
After  a  time  you  get  used  to  the  deafening  noise  ;  you  do 
not  even  hear  it.  But  they  suddenly  stop,  and  you  are 
astonished  at  the  stillness. 

As  the  rainy  season  proceeds,  the  air  is  almost  entirely 
saturated  with  moisture  :  the  saturation  in  August  some- 
times exceeds  97  per  cent. 

Now  green  mould  will  grow  upon  your  boots  and  other 
leather  articles,  if  left  a  couple  of  days  without  cleaning. 
Everything  feels  damp,  and  it  is  a  good  plan  to  air  your 
wardrobe  round  a  brazier  of  red-hot  charcoal. 

You  will  have  noticed  that  the  natives  universally  build 
their  houses  upon  piles.  So  do  the  Malays  all  over  the 
Far  East.  This  is  the  expression  of  the  accumulated 
experience  of  centuries,  and  you  will  be  wise  to  conform 
to  it  by  never  sleeping  on  the  ground  floor.  To  a  dweller 
in  the  Philippines  this  tip  is  worth  the  price  of  the  book. 

Dress. 

The  dress  of  both  sexes  should  be  as  light  as  possible  ; 
my  advice  is,  wear  as  little  as  possible,  and  wear  it  thin 
and  loose.  The  access  of  air  to  the  body  is  necessary  to 
carry  off  the  perspiration,  some  of  which  is  in  the  form  of 
vapour. 

Ladies  will  find  the  greatest  comfort  in  the  simple  but 
elegant  dresses  called  batas,  which  are  princess  robes  made 
of  embroidered  cambric  or  lawn.  The  materials  for  these 
dresses  can  be  purchased  in  Manila,  and  excellent  semps- 
tresses and  embroiderers  can  be  hired  at  moderate  wages, 
and  the  dresses  made  in  the  house.  For  the  evenings,  thin 
silk  or  muslin  dresses,  cut  low,  are  most  suitable. 

Men  who  are  young  and  robust  should  wear  white  duck 
jackets,  and  trousers  without  waistcoats.  Elderly  men,  or 
those  subject  to  rheumatism,  will  do  well  to  wear  thin 
flannel  suits.  The  material  for  these  can  be  got  in  Hong 
Kong.  For  travelling  and  shooting,  unbleached  linen, 
guingon,  or  rayadillo,  is  the  best  material,  made  into 
Norfolk  jackets  and  pantaloons.  I  always  found  white  or 
brown  leather  shoes  the  best  wear,  and  canvas  shooting- 
boots  capped  and  strapped  with  leather.     A  Panama  hat, 


LIFE  IN  MANILA  :  HOUSES  177 

or  a  solar  topee,  is  the  best  head-wear.  If  one  has  to  be 
much  in  the  sun,  a  white  umbrella,  lined  with  green,  should 
be  carried.  Dress  is  not  an  expensive  item  in  Manila. 
Up  to  1892,  the  washing  for  a  whole  family,  with  bed  and 
table-linen,  could  be  done  for  $12  per  month. 

Hotises. 

Most  of  the  older  houses  in  Manila  are  of  ample  size, 
and  well  suited  to  the  climate,  but  some  of  the  newer  ones, 
built  to  the  designs  of  a  Spanish  architect,  and  having  glass 
windows,  are  very  hot  and  uncomfortable.  It  is  essential 
to  live  in  a  good-sized  house,  so  as  to  escape  the  heat  by 
moving  to  a  different  part  as  the  sun  goes  round.  Thus 
you  will  have  your  early  breakfast  in  one  corner  of  the 
balcony  ;  your  tiffin,  perhaps,  on  the  ground  floor  ;  your  tea 
in  the  open  corridor  looking  on  the  garden,  and  your 
dinner,  at  7.30  P.M.,  in  the  dining-room  under  the  punkah. 

House-rent  is  paid  monthly,  and,  up  to  1892,  a  good 
detached  house  of  moderate  size  could  be  got  in  one  of  the 
best  suburbs  for  i^ioo  per  month,  and  for  less  in  Santa 
Ana.  Such  a  house  would  stand  in  its  own  garden,  and 
would  have  stables  for  several  horses,  and  shelter  for  one 
or  two  carriages. 

I  understand  that  house-rent  is  now  nearly  doubled  in 
consequence  of  the  American  competition.  From  their 
lavish  expenditure,  we  must  infer  that  the  new-comers 
possess  large  private  means  in  addition  to  their  salaries. 

Furniture. 

The  furnishing  of  a  tropical  house  is  much  simplified, 
because  no  carpets  or  curtains  are  needed.  The  fioors  are 
of  polished  hardwood,  and  they  take  a  good  deal  of  work 
to  keep  them  in  good  order.  A  few  rugs  can  be  put  down 
here  and  there,  if  a  little  colour  is  required.  Where  the 
floor  is  bad,  Chinese  matting  can  be  laid  down  at  small 
expense.  Some  of  the  Mestizos  import  costly  furniture, 
but  few  of  the  European  residents  attempted  to  follow 
their  example.  Vienna  bent-wood  furniture,  with  cane 
seats,  was  commonly  used,  and  was  very  suitable,  also 
bamboo  or  rattan  furniture,  brought  from  China  or  made 
in  the  country.  Such  things  as  wardrobes  or  bookcases 
should  have  ring-bolts  on  each  side  for  lashing  to  the  walls. 

N 


178      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

A  child  or  grown  person  might  be  killed  by  a  heavy  piece 
of  furniture  falling  on  it  during  an  earthquake. 

Furniture  of  all  sorts  is  made  in  Manila  of  Red  Narra, 
or  other  wood,  by  Chinese  cabinet-makers,  who  will  work 
to  purchasers'  requirements.  Very  excellent  teak-wood 
furniture  is  made  in  Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai. 

The  problem  of  furnishing  a  large  house  for  a  moderate 
sum,  and  making  it  comfortable,  and  at  the  same  time 
artistic  and  refined,  is  not  a  difficult  one,  and  has  often 
been  very  satisfactorily  solved  in  Manila. 

Large  stoneware  flower-pots  and  pedestals  can  be 
purchased  in  Manila,  and  no  more  suitable  ornament  can 
be  found  than  handsome  palms,  ferns,  or  flowering  plants, 
for  halls,  corridors,  or  reception  rooms. 

The  beds  should  be  large,  and  have  thin,  hard  mattresses 
and  horse-hair  pillows  stuffed  rather  hard.  The  coolest 
thing  to  lie  upon  is  a  fine  grass  mat,  ox  petate.  Covering  is 
seldom  required.  On  the  bed  will  be  seen  a  large  bolster 
lying  at  right  angles  to  the  pillows,  so  as  to  be  parallel  to 
the  sleeper.  The  use  of  this  is  not  apparent  to  the  newly- 
arrived  Briton  or  American.  This  is  the  Abrasador,  used 
throughout  the  boundless  East. 

The  candidate  for  repose,  whether  on  the  hard  bed,  or 
harder  floor  or  deck,  lies  on  his  side,  and  rests  his  upper 
arm  and  leg  on  the  Abrazador,  thus  relieving  his  hip  and 
shoulder  from  much  of  his  weight.  He  takes  care  to  keep 
it  a  little  way  off  his  body  to  allow  the  air  to  circulate. 

A  mosquito-net  must  be  fitted  to  every  bed,  but  may 
not  always  be  required.  In  the  sleeping-room  there  should 
be  no  curtains,  and  the  least  possible  amount  of  furniture, 
and,  during  the  hot  season,  the  bed  should  stand  in  the 
middle  of  the  room.  It  is  advisable  to  have  no  light  in  the 
bedroom,  but  good  lights  are  a  necessity  in  the  dressing- 
rooms. 

By  being  careful  about  this  you  will  keep  your  bedroom 
free  from  mosquitoes.  Petroleum  is  commonly  used  in  the 
Philippines  for  lighting,  and  unless  the  lamps  are  of  the 
best  quality,  and  carefully  trimmed,  there  is  considerable 
danger  of  accident.  I  used  to  keep  some  plants  in  pots  in 
each  room  so  as  to  throw  the  earth  over  any  oil  that  might 
get  alight.  Whenever  there  was  a  shock  of  earthquake,  I 
extinguished  the  petroleum  lamps,  and  lighted  candles 
instead.  And  whenever  we  went  out  to  a  dinner  or  dance, 
every  petroleum  lamp  was  extinguished^  and  cocoanut-oil 


LIFE  IN  MANILA:  BATHS  179 

lights  or  candles  substituted  in  case  of  an  earthquake 
whilst  we  were  out. 

Frequent  baths  are  indispensable  to  good  health  in 
Manila.  Enormous  earthenware  tubs,  made  in  China,  can 
be  procured.  These  are  placed  in  the  bath-room,  and  filled 
in  the  evening,  so  that  the  water  gets  refreshingly  cool 
during  the  night.  It  is  not  at  all  advisable  to  get  into  the 
water,  as  the  effect  is  not  so  good  as  dashing  the  water 
over  the  head  with  a  small  bucket  called  a  tabo.  By  using 
the  water  thus,  and  rubbing  the  skin  briskly  with  a  towel, 
a  reaction  soon  sets  in,  and  the  bather  feels  quite  in- 
vigorated. 

A  bath  of  this  kind  when  rising,  and  another  before 
dressing  for  dinner,  will  do  much  to  mitigate  the  rigour  of 
the  climate. 

From  several  stories  told  me  by  friends  recently 
returned  from  Manila,  it  would  seem  that  the  Americans 
there,  or  some  of  them,  at  least,  are  not  sufficiently  alive 
to  the  necessity  of  daily  baths,  but  I  refrain  from  giving 
particulars. 

This  seems  strange  when  one  remembers  the  profusion 
with  which  baths  are  provided  in  all  the  modern  hotels  in 
the  great  cities  of  America. 

Now  I  must  tell  you  about  gogo.  This  is  the  dried 
bark  of  a  creeper  that  grows  wild  in  the  woods,  and  it  is 
the  finest  thing  possible  to  keep  your  hair  in  order. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  this  plant,  the  three  most 
commonly  used  are  gogo  bayugo  {Entada  scandcns 
Benth.)  ;  gogong  casay  {PeltopJionun  fenugineuui  Benth)  ; 
gogong  paltaning  {^Albizzia  saponaria  Bhim.). 

As  washing  the  hair  with  gogo  is  one  of  the  luxuries  of 
the  Philippines,  I  shall  describe  how  it  is  done. 

A  servant  pounds  a  piece  of  the  stem  and  bark,  and 
steeps  it  in  a  basin,  twisting  and  wringing  it  occasionally 
until  the  soluble  part  has  been  extracted.  He  then  adds 
to  the  liquor  two  or  three  limes,  squeezing  the  juice  out, 
and  soaking  the  peel.  He  also  throws  in  a  handful  of 
crushed  citron-leaves,  and  strains  the  liquor  through 
muslin. 

The  servant  then  ladles  this  over  your  head  with  a 
calabash,  or  cocoa-nut  shell,  whilst  you  rub  your  hair  with 
your  hands. 

As  the  liquor  is  strongly  alkaline,  you  must  be  careful 
to  keep  your  eyes  closed  until  the  head  has  been  rinsed 

N  2 


i8o      THE  INHAIUTANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

with  water.     Your  hair-wash  is  made  fresh  whenever  you 
want  it,  and  may  cost  from  two  to  three  pence. 

The  fragrance  of  the  citron-leaves  is  delicious,  and  when 
you  have  rinsed  and  dried  your  hair,  you  will  find  it  as 
soft,  as  bright,  and  as  sweet-smelling  as  the  costliest 
perfumes  of  Bond  Street  could  make  it. 

Servants. 

In  the  good  old  times  we  were  well  off  for  servants  in 
Manila.  They  flocked  up  from  the  provinces  seeking 
places,  and  those  employers  who  took  pains  to  enquire 
closely  into  the  antecedents  of  applicants,  could  almost 
ensure  being  well  served. 

Englishmen  paid  good  wages,  and  paid  punctually, 
hence  they  could  command  the  best  servants. 

Personally,  I  may  say  that  I  kept  my  servants  for  years 
— some  nearly  the  whole  time  I  was  in  the  islands.  I  had 
very  little  trouble  with  any  of  them.  There  are  people 
who  say  that  they  have  no  feeling,  but  I  remember  that 
when  I  embarked  with  my  family  on  leaving  Manila,  my 
servants,  on  taking  leave  at  the  wharf,  were  convulsed  with 
tears  at  our  departure. 

A  family  living  comfortably  in  a  good-sized  house 
would  require  the  following  servants  : — 

Wages  in  1892. 
Dollars. 

Mayordomo,  or  steward,  who  would  act  as  butler     .         8  per  month. 
Two  houseboys,  one  would   valet   the  master,  the 

other  would  trim  lamps  and  pull  the  punkah, 

@  $6     .  . 12    „         „ 

Sempstress  or  maid  to  mistress       .  .  •  .         6    „         ,, 

Gardener  or   coolie,  would   carry  water  for  baths, 

sweep  and  water     .  .  .  .  .  .         6    „         „ 

Coachman,  would  look  after  one  pair  of  horses  and 

carriage 12    „         „ 

Food  for  six  ser^-ants,  ®  $3  each  .  .  .  .       18    „         „ 

Maestro  cook        .         .         .         .         .         .         .       i8    „        „ 

80 

American  competition  for  servants  has  more  than 
doubled  these  rates  of  pay.     Cooks  get  $50  now. 

The  house-boys  and  maid  live  in  the  house,  and  sleep 
on  the  floor,  with  a  grass  mat  and  pillows.  The  mayor- 
domo sometimes  lives  quite  near,  being,  perhaps,  a  married 


LIFE  IN  MANILA:  SERVANTS  l8l 

man.  The  coachman  has  his  room  by  the  stables,  and 
the  gardener  lives  in  the  lodge,  or  in  a  small  hut  in  the 
garden. 

The  maestro-cook  does  not  usually  sleep  on  the  premises. 
He  arrives  about  ii  A.M.,  bearing  two  baskets  depending 
from  ?i  pinga,  or  palma-brava  staff,  resting  on  his  shoulder. 
These  baskets  will  contain  the  day's  marketing — eggs,  fish, 
meat,  chicken,  salad,  tomatoes,  bananas,  firewood,  and 
many  other  things. 

He  promptly  sets  to  work,  and  by  twelve,  or  half-past, 
presents  a  tiffin  of  three  or  four  courses. 

His  afternoon  is  devoted  to  preparing  the  more 
elaborate  dinner  due  at  7.30  P.M.,  when  he  will  be  ready 
to  serve  soup,  fish,  entrees,  a  roast,  a  curry,  and  sweets,  all 
conscientiously  prepared,  and  sent  in  hot.  Most  excellent 
curries  are  made  in  Manila,  both  by  Chinamen  and  natives. 
To  my  mind,  the  best  are  made  from  prawns,  from  crab,  or 
from  frogs'  legs.  If  you  cannot  eat  anything  else  at  dinner, 
you  can  always  make  out  with  the  curry. 

The  dinner  over,  the  cook  asks  for  orders,  and  takes  his 
departure,  to  return  with  perfect  punctuality  the  following 
day. 

The  Chinese  cooks  all  belong  to  a  guild,  which  is  a 
trades'  union  and  a  co-operative  society,  and  are  bound  to 
follow  the  rules. 

They  would  never  dream  of  going  into  a  market  and 
bidding  one  against  the  other. 

Their  system  is  to  assemble  early  every  morning  at  the 
guild  house,  and  for  each  man  to  state  his  requirements. 
A  scribe  then  tabulates  the  orders — so  many  turkeys,  so 
many  chickens,  etc.,  and  two  experienced  cooks  are  com- 
missioned as  buyers  to  go  into  the  market  and  purchase 
the  whole  lot,  the  provisions  being  afterwards  fairly  divided 
amongst  the  members,  each  having  his  turn  to  get  the 
choice  pieces,  such  as  saddle  of  mutton,  kidneys,  etc.  But 
if  a  dinner-party  is  contemplated,  the  cook  who  has  to 
prepare  it  gets  the  preference. 

They  thus  obtain  everything  much  cheaper  than  the 
native  cooks,  even  after  taking  a  good  squeeze  for  them- 
selves. 1  believe  that  they  have  a  fixed  percentage  which 
they  charge,  and  would  consider  it  dishonest  to  take  any 
more,  whilst  the  guild  would  not  approve  of  their  taking 
any  less. 

If  you  send  away  your  cook,  the  guild  will  settle  for 


1 82      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

you  who  is  to  replace  him.  All  your  culinary  fancies  will 
be  well  known  to  the  council  of  the  guild,  and  they  will 
pick  out  a  man  up  to  your  standard. 

It  was  customary  to  give  the  cook  a  fixed  sum  per 
day  to  provide  tiffin  and  dinner,  and  this  was  paid  once  a 
week. 

I  found  that  two  dollars  a  day  was  sufficient  to  amply 
provide  for  my  family,  and  I  could  have  one  guest  to  tiffin 
or  dinner  without  notice,  and  be  confident  that  the  meal 
would  be  sufficient.  In  fact,  this  was  part  of  my  agreement 
with  the  cook.  By  giving  short  notice,  the  dinner  could 
be  extended  for  two  or  three  people  at  an  additional 
charge. 

The  cook  rendered  no  account  of  the  money  he  re- 
ceived ;  but,  if  I  was  not  satisfied  with  the  meals  he  pro- 
vided, I  admonished  him,  and  if  he  did  not  do  better  I 
discharged  him.  I  may  say,  however,  that  there  was  very 
seldom  cause  for  complaint,  for  the  Chinese  are  thorough 
business  men. 

When  a  dinner-party  was  given,  the  cook  provided 
according  to  order,  and  sent  in  his  bill  for  the  extras. 
There  was  no  housekeeping,  and  no  need  to  order  any- 
thing, and  you  knew  exactly  how  much  you  were  spending 
weekly,  and  how  much  a  dinner-party  cost. 

The  cleaning  and  polishing  your  plate  and  glass,  the 
laying  the  table,  the  tasteful  adorning  of  it  with  variegated 
leaves,  with  ferns  or  flowers,  and  the  artistic  folding  of  the 
serviettes,  may  with  confidence  be  left  to  the  mayordomo's 
care  ;  eveiy  detail  will  be  attended  to  down  to  the  ylang- 
ylang  flowers  in  the  finger-bowls. 

With  such  servants  as  these,  the  mistress  of  the  house, 
free  from  domestic  cares,  may  take  her  shower-bath,  and, 
clad  in  Kabaya  and  Sarong,  await  the  moment  when  she 
must  resume  the  garments  of  civilisation,  and  receive  her 
guests  looking  as  fresh,  in  spite  of  the  thermometer,  as  if 
she  had  stepped  out  of  a  co2(p^  in  Piccadilly  or  Fifth 
Avenue.  Ladies  used  to  the  ministry  of  Irish  Biddy  or 
Aunt  Chloe  ought  to  fancy  themselves  transported  to 
heaven  when  they  find  themselves  at  the  head  of  a  house- 
hold in  Manila. 

I  append  a  note  of  household  expenses  for  a  family 
living  moderately  in  Manila  in  1S92.  I  suppose  the  cost 
has  been  doubled  under  American  rule. 


LIFE  IN  MANILA:  DIET 


183 


Household  Budget  in  1892. 
For  a  family  of  three  adults  and  three  children. 


House-rent        .......  per  month 

Servants'  wages  and  food   . 

Washing  ..... 

Forage  and  grain  for  two  ponies 

Allowance  to  cook  for  market 

Extra  for  two  dinner-parties  of  six  or  eight  guests  each 

Bill  at  Almacen  (grocery  store)  for  groceries,  ordinary  wines, 
spirits,  and  petroleum.  ....  per  month 

Bill  at   Botica  (drug  store)  for  soda  water,  ice 
articles       ...... 

Case  of  champagne  for  dinner-parties. 

Repairs  to  carriage,  shoeing  horses,  materials  for  cleaning- 
stable,  etc..         ... 

Garden  expenses — plants,  tools,  hose 

Subscriptions  to  clubs,  telephone,  newspapers,  and 
charities 

Tobacco  and  cigars  . 

Taxes  on  servants  and  horses 

Clothing  for  self  and  family 

Pocket  money,  entertainments,  and  sundries 


and  various 
per  month 


per  month 


Mexicin 

Dollars. 

100 
80 
12 
16 
60 
20 

65 

20 
25 

10 

5 

20 

7 
10 

50 
100 


Per  month    600 


Say  $7,200  per  annum. 


Diet. 

For  the  benefit  of  Bcston  readers  {if  I  should  be  lucky- 
enough  to  have  any  in  that  learned  city),  I  may  say  that 
pork  and  beans  is  not  a  suitable  diet  for  a  tropical  country. 
I  should  also  forbid  the  "  New  England  dinner,"  and  roast 
goose,  or  sucking  pig,  stewed  terrapin,  and  pumpkin  pie. 
A  light  diet  of  eggs  or  the  excellent  fish  to  be  had  in 
Manila,  chickens  fattened  on  maize,  beef  or  mutton,  once  a 
day,  and  rice,  vegetables  and  salad,  with  plenty  of  ripe  fruit, 
according  to  the  season,  is  desirable.  The  fare  can  be 
diversified  by  oysters,  prawns,  crabs,  wild  duck,  snipe,  and 
quail,  all  of  which  are  cheap  and  very  good  in  the  season. 
There  are  no  pheasants  in  Luzon,  but  the  jungle  cock 
(labuyao)  is  as  good  or  better. 

In  the  tropics  a  good  table  is  a  necessity,  for  the 
appetite  needs  tempting.  Such  a  diet  as  I  have  men- 
tioned will  keep  you  in  health,  especially  if  you  are  careful 
not  to  eat  too  much,  but  to  eat  of  the  best.  If  you  econo- 
mise on  your  table  you  will  have  to  spend  the  money  at  the 


1 84      THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 

drug-Store.  Taboo  pork,  because — well,  when  you  have  been 
a  week  or  two  in  the  country  you  will  not  need  to  ask  why 
— Moses  and  Mahomet  knew  what  they  were  about. 

My  remarks  about  drinks  are  intended  for  the  men,  as 
ladies  do  not  need  any  advice  on  this  subject.  In  a  tropical 
climate  it  is  necessary  to  be  very  careful  in  the  use  of 
spirits. 

Having  lived  for  more  than  twenty-five  years  in  the 
tropics,  and  having  kept  my  health  remarkably  well,  I  feel 
warranted  in  giving  my  experience.  I  have  made  surveys, 
or  directed  works,  in  many  climates,  exposed  to  all  weathers, 
and  I  know  that  the  very  worst  thing  a  man  can  take,  if 
he  has  to  work  or  march  in  the  sun,  is  spirits.  There  is 
nothing  that  will  predispose  him  to  sunstroke  as  much  as 
spirits.  For  marching,  walking,  or  shooting,  in  the  sun,  I 
know  nothing  like  cold  tea  without  milk  or  sugar.  It 
should  be  poured  off  the  leaves  after  infusing  for  two 
minutes. 

When  you  reach  shelter  you  can  take  a  lemon  squash 
or  a  cagelada — this  is  the  juice  of  cageles  (a  kind  of  orange) 
with  sugar  and  water — which  is  a  most  cooling  drink.  Never 
take  spirits  to  buck  you  up  to  your  work.  Whatever  spirits 
you  drink,  let  it  be  after  sunset,  I  am  a  believer  in  drinking 
wine  at  meals  ;  it  makes  me  shudder  to  see  people  drinking 
tea,  lemonade,  or  milk,  with  their  dinners,  and  laying  up  for 
themselves  torments  from  dyspepsia,  for  which  they  have  to 
swallow  pills  by  the  boxful. 

Ponies. 

There  is  a  race  of  ponies  in  the  islands  that  is  de- 
scended from  Spanish  and  Arab  horses,  and  owing  to  an 
absolutely  haphazard  breeding,  the  size  has  diminished, 
although  the  symmetry  has  been  preserved.  Those  from 
Ilocos  are  the  smallest,  but  they  are  the  hardiest  and  most 
spirited. 

A  pair  of  ponies  and  a  Victoria  is  an  absolute  necessity 
for  a  lady  in  Manila,  and  I  have  little  doubt  that  an 
American  judge  would  declare  the  "  failure  to  provide  "  to 
be  cruelty  and  grant  a  divorce  if  applied  for. 

Both  harness  and  carriages  are  made  in  the  city,  but 
imported  harness  can  be  had,  better  finished,  at  double  the 
price. 

In  my  time  a  fine  pair  of  ponies  could  be  bought  for 


LIFE  IN  MANILA  :    THE   GARDEN  185 


$200  to  $300  ;  a  new  Victoria  for  $500,  and  harness  for  %6o. 
The  cost  of  keeping  a  pair  of  ponies  was  $16  per  month, 
and  a  coachman  $12  per  month,  food,  and  liver>'.  What 
the  cost  is  now  I  have  no  information. 

The  public  carriages  were  not  fit  for  a  lady  to  use, 
though  sometimes  a  suitable  one  could  be  hired  by  the 
week  or  month  from  a  livery  stable. 

The  ponies  are  wonderfully  strong  and  sure-footed.  I 
weigh  over  200  lbs.,  yet  some  of  these  ponies  have  carried 
me  about  all  day  over  rough  ground  without  stumbling. 
They  carry  a  lady  beautifully,  and  riding  is  the  best  form 
of  exercise  a  lady  can  take. 

TJie  Garden. 

The  garden  will  be  a  great  source  of  occupation  to  the 
mistress  of  the  house.  If  it  is  sheltered  from  the  wind  and 
supplied  with  water,  she  can  grow  almost  anything.  And 
plants  will  come  up  quickly,  too,  under  the  influence  of  the 
heat  and  moisture. 

There  are  nursery  gardens  at  Pasay,  where  all  sorts  of 
plants  and  seedlings  can  be  obtained  ;  in  fact,  these  are 
hawked  about  morning  and  evening. 

The  so-called  gardener  rarely  has  much  skill,  but  he 
will  clean  up  the  garden  and  water  it,  and  do  what  he  is 
told. 

The  most  beautiful  and  delicate  ferns  can  be  grown, 
and  magnificent  orchids  got  to  flower,  if  they  are  well 
sheltered  in  a  mat-shed.  Bananas  and  pines  grow  without 
trouble,  and  radishes,  salads,  tomatoes,  cucumbers,  and 
melons,  can  be  raised. 

Sliops. 

You  can  get  most  things  you  want  in  Manila.  The 
drug-stores  are  mostly  in  German  hands,  but  there  is  one 
English  one  where  the  usual  English  articles  can  be  got. 

There  is  an  ample  supply  of  wines,  spirits,  and  preserved 
provisions  at  the  grocers,  and  the  drapers  keep  on  hand 
any  quantity  of  silks,  muslins,  and  piece-goods,  with  all 
the  necessary  fixings.  French  and  German  shoes  are  in 
plenty. 

The  goods  in  the  jewellers'  shops  and  in  the  fancy 
bazaars  are  all  of  a  very  florid  style,  to  suit  the  gaudy  taste 
of  the  wealthy  Filipinos. 


1 86      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

Such  piece-goods  and  haberdashery  as  are  in  common 
use  are  brought  round  to  the  ladies  at  their  own  houses  by 
Chinese  hawkers,  who,  having  small  expenses,  sell  remark- 
ably cheap. 

They  are  always  very  civil  and  attentive,  and  will  gladly 
get  you  any  article  that  they  have  not  in  stock  at  the 
moment. 

Ladies  save  going  about  in  the  heat  and  dust  by  pur- 
chasing from  these  men. 

Amiisenients. 

The  amusements  for  ladies  were  limited  to  riding,  lawn- 
tennis,  boating,  picnics,  and  frequent  dances.  I  remember 
many  delightful  dances  in  Manila.  One  was  given  to  the 
officers  of  the  U.S.S.  Brooklyn,  and  another  to  the  U.S.S. 
RicJiniond.  At  the  latter,  the  ladies  were  in  traje  del  pais,  i.e., 
dressed  as  natives  and  mestizas.  And  very  handsome  some 
of  them  looked.  Now  and  again  some  theatrical  company 
would  come  over,  mostly  from  Saigon.  There  were  a  good 
many  dinner  parties  given  amongst  the  British  community, 
and  weekly  receptions  at  most  of  the  principal  houses,  during 
the  time  1  lived  in  Manila,  where  you  could  get  a  little 
game  of  cards,  dance,  flirt,  or  take  it  easy,  just  as  you 
liked. 

The  ladies  very  wisely  took  a  rest  from  two  to  four,  to 
be  fresh  for  the  evening.  The  proper  hour  for  calling  was 
at  9  P.M.  or  10  A.M.  on  Sundays  after  High  Mass. 

I  knew  several  ladies,  English  and  American,  who  look 
back  upon  a  term  of  years  spent  in  Manila  as  the  happiest 
in  their  lives. 

Children  born  in  Manila  can  remain  there  without 
damage  to  their  health  till  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  and 
after  having  spent  a  few  years  at  home  are  indistinguishable 
from  children  born  and  brought  up  in  England. 

The  principal  thing  lacking  in  Manila  is  means  of  access 
to  the  hills  where  people  could  go  occasionally  for  a  change 
and  during  the  hot  season.  I  have  little  doubt  that  the 
Americans  will  provide  this  before  long. 

Manila  was  not  without  its  frivolous  element ;  but  there 
was  one  period  of  the  year  when  all  frivolities  were  sus- 
pended, and  religious  observances  monopolised  the  people's 
time.  That  was  in  Lent,  and  the  ceremonies  culminated 
on  Good  Friday. 


GOOD  FRIDAY  IN  MANILA  \%1 

The  Very  Noble  and  always  Loyal  City  of  Manila  cele- 
brates the  greatest  day  of  the  Christian  year  very  devoutly. 
On  foot,  and  robed  in  black,  its  inhabitants  high  and  low 
throng  the  churches  and  attend  the  procession. 

All  shops  are  closed,  vehicular  traffic  is  suspended,  the 
ensigns  hang  at  half-mast,  the  yards  of  ships  are  crossed  in 
saltire  ;  not  a  sound  is  heard. 

The  capital  and  the  whole  of  the  civilised  Philippines 
mark  the  crucifixion  of  our  Saviour  by  two  days  of  devo- 
tion, of  solemn  calm.  Under  Spanish  rule  a  stately  pro- 
cession, attended  by  the  highest  and  the  humblest,  filed 
slowly  through  the  silent  streets,  the  Civil  Government, 
the  Law,  the  Army,  the  Navy,  the  Municipality  and  the 
Religious  Orders,  being  represented  by  deputations  in  full 
dress,  who  followed  bare-headed  the  emblems  of  the  faith 
in  the  presence  of  an  immense  crowd  of  natives,  who  bent 
the  knee  and  bowed  the  head  in  homage  to  the  crucified 
Saviour. 

I  never  failed  to  witness  this  imposing  spectacle  when 
in  Manila,  and  it  was  mortifying  to  me  to  remember  that 
Good  Friday  in  London  is  nothing  but  a  vulgar  holiday, 
and  that  probably  not  one  person  out  of  a  hundred  in  its 
vast  population  realises  in  the  least  degree  the  event  that 
solemn  fast  is  intended  to  commemorate. 

The  death-like  stillness  of  Good  Friday  remained  un- 
broken till  High  Mass  was  over  on  Saturday  morning,  when 
the  cathedral  bells  rang  out  a  joyous  peal,  soon  taken  up 
by  the  bells  of  the  numerous  churches  in  the  city  and  all 
over  the  provinces. 

The  ensigns  were  run  up  to  the  staff  or  peak,  the  yards 
were  squared,  and  royal  salutes  thundered  out  over  land 
and  sea,  whilst  clouds  of  white  smoke  enveloped  the  moss- 
grown  ramparts  of  the  saluting  battery,  and  the  useless, 
lumbering  masts  and  spars  of  the  flagship.  Then  steam- 
whistles  and  sirens  commenced  their  hideous  din,  the  great 
doors  of  the  houses  were  thrown  open,  and  hundreds  of 
bare-backed  ponies,  with  half-naked  grooms,  issued  at  full 
gallop  to  the  sea  or  river. 

Then  Manila  resumed  its  every-day  life  till  the  next 
Holy  Thursday  came  round. 


188      rilE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   XX. 

SPORT. 

{A    CHAPTER  FOR  MEN.) 

The  Jockey  Club — Training — The  races — An  archbishop  presiding — 
The  Totalisator  or  Pari  Mutuel — The  Manila  Club — Boating 
club — Rifle  clubs— Shooting — Snipe — Wild  duck — Plover — Quail 
— Pigeons — Tabon— Labuyao,  or  jungle  cock — Pheasants — Deer 
— "Wild  pig — No  sport  in  fishing. 

Manila  was  not  so  badly  off  for  sport  as  might  be 
thought.  The  pony-races,  conducted  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Jockey  Club,  excited  the  greatest  interest  amongst 
all  classes. 

The  ponies  underwent  their  training  at  the  race-course 
in  Santa  Mesa,  and  their  owners  and  other  members  of  the 
club  were  provided  with  early  breakfast  there.  The  native 
grooms  took  as  much  interest  in  the  success  of  the  pony 
they  attended  as  the  owner,  and  they  backed  their  favourite 
for  all  they  were  worth. 

Only  members  were  allowed  to  ride,  and  the  weights 
were  remarkably  heavy  for  such  small  ponies.  When  the 
races  came  off,  business  was  almost  suspended  for  three 
days,  and  all  Manila  appeared  at  the  race-course.  There 
were  sometimes  two  thousand  vehicles  and  immense  crowds 
on  foot. 

The  ladies  in  their  most  resplendent  toilettes  were 
received  by  the  stewards,  presented  with  elegantly-bound 
programmes,  and  conducted  to  their  places  on  the  grand 
stand. 

Presently  a  military  band  would  strike  up  the  "  Marcha 
Real,"  as  the  Governor-General's  equipage  entered  the 
enclosure,  and  that  exalted  personage,  dressed  in  black 
frock  coat  and  silk  hat,  white  trousers  and  waistcoat,  with 
the  crimson  silk  sash  of  a  general,  just  peeping  from  under 
his  waistcoat,  was  conducted  to  his  box,  followed  by  his 
suite  and  the  favoured  persons  invited  to  join  his  party. 


LIFE  IN  MANILA:  SPORT  189 

The  highest  authority  in  the  country  presided  and 
handed  the  prizes  to  the  winning  jockeys,  who  were 
brought  up  to  him  by  the  vice-president  of  the  club.  But 
on  an  occasion  when  the  Governor-General  and  Segundo 
Cabo  were  absent,  I  witnessed  the  races  which  were  pre- 
sided over  by  no  less  a  personage  than  His  Grace  the 
Archbishop  of  Manila,  Fray  Pedro  Payo,  in  his  archiepis- 
copal  garments,  and  smoking  a  big  Havana  cigar.  The  old 
gentleman  enjoyed  the  sport  and  most  graciously  presented 
the  handsome  prizes  to  the  winners. 

Betting  was  conducted  by  the  totalisator,  or  pari-mutuel, 
the  bet  being  five  dollars,  repeated  as  often  as  you  liked. 
As  I  presume  my  readers  understand  this  system,  I  shall 
not  describe  it.  The  natives  bet  amongst  themselves  to  a 
considerable  amount. 

Pavilions  were  erected  by  different  clubs  or  bodies,  and 
a  profuse  hospitality  characterised  each  day.  Winners  of 
large  silver  cups  usually  filled  them  with  champagne  and 
passed  them  round.  Bets  were  made  with  the  ladies  as  an 
excuse  for  giving  them  presents.  Dinner-parties  were  given 
in  the  evenings  at  private  houses,  and  there  were  dinners 
at  the  clubs.  There  were  two  race-meetings  in  the  year. 
No  doubt  this  sport,  temporarily  interrupted  by  insur- 
rection and  war,  will  again  flourish  when  tranquillity 
prevails. 

There  was  a  boating-club  in  connection  with  the  British 
Club  at  Nagtajan,  now  removed  to  Ermita,  and  some  very 
good  skiffs  and  boats  were  available.  There  was  a  regatta 
and  illuminated  procession  of  boats  each  year. 

Polo  clubs  and  rifle  clubs  had  a  rather  precarious  exist- 
ence, except  that  the  Swiss  Rifle  Club  was  well  kept  up, 
and  there  were  some  excellent  shots  in  it.  There  was  a  lawn 
tennis  club,  which  had  ladies  and  gentlemen  as  members, 
and  some  very  good  games  were  played  there  and  valuable 
prizes  given. 

Shooting  was  a  favourite  sport  with  many  Englishmen 
and  a  few  mestizos. 

Excellent  snipe-shooting  is  to  be  had  in  all  the  paddy- 
fields  around  Manila  and  the  lake.  But  at  San  Pedro  on 
the  Pasig,  there  is  a  wide  expanse  of  rough  ground  with 
clumps  of  bushes,  and  it  was  here  that  the  most  exciting 
sport  was  to  be  had,  and  it  took  some  shooting  to  get  the 
birds  as  they  flew  across  the  openings  between  the  bushes. 
Snipe-shooting  began  in  September,  when  the  paddy  was 


igo      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


high  enough  to  give  cover,  and  lasted  to  the  end  of 
November.  The  birds,  when  they  first  arrived,  were  thin, 
but  they  soon  put  on  flesh,  and  by  November  were  fat  and 
in  splendid  condition  for  the  table.  There  is  no  better  bird 
to  be  eaten  anywhere  than  a  Manila  snipe.  Bags  of  eighty 
were  sometimes  made  in  a  morning  by  two  guns. 

Excellent  wild-duck  and  teal-shooting  was  to  be  got  on 
and  around  the  lake  and  on  the  Pinag  de  Candaba,  and 
wherever  there  was  a  sheet  of  water.  When  crossing  the 
lake  I  have  seen  wild  fowl  resting  on  the  surface  in  such 
enormous  numbers  that  they  looked  like  sandbanks.  They 
are  not  easy  to  approach,  but  I  have  killed  some  by  firing 
a  rifle  into  the  flock.  The  crested-lapwing  and  the  golden- 
plover  are  in  plenty,  and  on  the  seashores  widgeon  and 
curlew  abound.  Inland,  on  the  stubbles,  there  are  plenty 
of  quail.  Pigeons  of  all  sorts,  sizes,  and  colours,  abound  at 
all  times,  especially  when  the  dap-dap  tree  opens  its  large 
crimson  blossoms.  Some  kinds  of  brush-turkeys,  such  as 
the  tabon,  a  bird  {Megapodms  ciini}igi)  the  size  of  a  part- 
ridge, that  lays  an  o.^^  as  large  as  a  goose  o.^^  and  buries 
it  in  a  mound  of  gravel  by  the  shore,  are  found. 

The  labuyao,  or  jungle  cock,  is  rare  and  not  easy  to 
shoot  in  a  sportsmanlike  way,  although  a  poacher  could 
easily  shoot  them  on  a  moonlight  night. 

In  the  Southern  Islands  some  remarkable  pheasants  of 
most  brilliant  plumage  are  to  be  found,  and  whilst  in 
Palawan  I  obtained  two  good  specimens  of  the  pavito  real 
{Polyplcctron  Napoleonis),  a  very  handsome  game  bird 
with  two  sharp  spurs  on  each  leg.  They  are  rather  larger 
than  a  partridge,  but  their  fan-shaped  tails  have  two  rows 
of  eyes  like  a  peacock's  tail,  there  being  four  eyes  in  each 
feather. 

Deer  and  wild-pig  abound,  and  can  be  shot  within  four 
hours'  journey  of  Manila  by  road.  Round  about  Montalban 
is  a  good  place  for  them.  They  are  plentiful  at  Jala-jala, 
on  the  lake  at  Porac  in  Pampanga,  and  round  about  the 
Puerto  Jamelo  and  Pico  de  Loro,  at  the  mouth  of  Manila 
Bay.  In  fact,  they  are  found  wherever  there  is  cover  and 
pasture  for  them,     The  season  is  from  December  to  April. 

The  usual  way  is  to  go  with  a  party  of  five  or  six  guns 
and  employ  some  thirty  native  beaters,  each  bringing  one 
or  two  dogs. 

The  guns  are  stationed  in  suitable  spots  and  the  beaters 
and  their  dogs,  fetching  a  compass,  extend  their  hne  and 


LIFE  IN  MANILA  :  SPORT  191 

drive  the  game  up  to  the  guns.  This  is  rather  an  expensive 
amusement,  as  you  have  to  pay  and  feed  the  beaters  and 
their  dogs  ;  but  it  is  very  good  sport,  and  in  proceeding  and 
returning  to  camp  from  two  beats  in  the  morning  and  two 
in  the  afternoon,  you  got  quite  as  much  exercise  as  you 
want  or  as  is  good  for  you.  The  venison  and  wild-pig  is 
very  good  eating,  but  it  is  difficult  to  get  it  to  Manila  fresh, 
whatever  precautions  you  take. 

Taken  all  round,  Luzon  is  well  supplied  with  game,  and 
may  be  considered  satisfactory  from  a  sportsman's  point  of 
view. 

There  is  no  sport  to  be  had  in  fishing  ;  in  Luzon,  so  far 
as  I  know,  there  are  no  game  fish.  When  living  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rio  Grande,  near  Macabebe,  I  noticed  some 
natives  taking  fish  at  night  by  placing  a  torch  on  the  bow 
of  a  canoe,  which  was  paddled  by  one  man  slowly  along 
near  the  bank,  another  man  standing  in  the  bow  with 
a  fish-spear  of  three  prongs,  similar  to  the  "  grains  "  used 
in  England.  As  the  fish  came  up  to  the  h'ght  he  struck 
at  them  with  his  spear  and  managed  to  pick  up  a  good 
many. 

This  appeared  good  sport,  and  I  arranged  for  a  native 
to  come  for  me  in  a  canoe  with  torch,  and  I  borrowed  a 
spear.  We  started  off,  but  there  was  some  difficulty  in 
standing  up  in  a  small,  narrow  canoe,  and  darting  the  spear. 
My  first  stroke  was  a  miss  the  fish  escaped  ;  my  second, 
however,  was  all  right,  and  I  shook  my  catch  off  the  spear 
into  the  canoe,  but  the  native  shouted  out,  "  Masamang 
ahas  p6 !  "  (a  poisonous  snake,  sir)  not  forgetting  to  be 
polite  even  in  that  somewhat  urgent  situation.  The  snake 
was  wriggling  towards  me,  but  I  promptly  picked  him  up 
again  on  the  spear  and  threw  him  overboard,  much  to  my 
own  relief  and  that  of  the  Pampanga. 

It  was  one  of  those  black  and  yellow  water-snakes, 
reputed  as  poisonous.  That  was  enough  fishing  for  me, 
and  I  remembered  that  I  had  a  particular  appointment  at 
home,  and  left  fishing  to  professionals. 

Curiously  enough,  fish  cannot  be  taken  by  the  trawl,  for 
a  mestizo  got  out  a  trawling  steamer  with  gear,  and  men  to 
handle  it,  and  after  repeated  trials  in  different  places,  had 
to  give  it  up  as  a  bad  job. 


192      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

BRIEF  GEOGRAPHICAL   DESCRIPTION    OF    LUZON. 

Irregular  shape — Harbours — Bays — Mountain  ranges — Blank  spaces 
on  maps — North-east  coast  unexplored  —  River  and  valley  of 
Cagayan  —  Central  valley  from  Bay  of  Lingayen  to  Bay  of 
Manila — Rivers  Agno,  Chico,  Grande — The  Pinag  of  Candaba 
— Project  for  draining — River  Pasig — Laguna  de  Bay— Lake  of 
Taal  —  Scene  of  a  cataclysm  —  Collapse  of  a  volcanic  cone 
8000  feet  high  —  Black  and  frowning  island  of  Mindoro  — 
Worcester's  pluck  and  endurance — Placers  of  Camarines — River 
Bicol— The  wondrous  purple  cone  of  Mayon — Luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion. 

The  island  of  Luzon  is  of  so  irregular  a  shape  that  it 
cannot  be  intelligibly  described  without  the  aid  of  a  map. 

That  part  of  it  to  the  north  and  west  of  the  isthmus  of 
Tayabas  lies  with  its  longitudinal  axis  due  north  and  south, 
and  has  a  fairly  even  coast  line,  there  being  only  two  great 
indentations,  the  Bays  of  Lingayen  and  Manila,  both  on 
the  west  coast.  There  are  also  on  that  side  and  to  the 
south  the  smaller  bays  of  Subic,  Balayan,  Batangas,  and 
Tayabas. 

On  the  cast  coast  of  this  northern  part  are  the  un- 
important bays  of  Palanan,  Dilasac,  Casiguran  and  Baler, 
besides  the  great  bay  of  Lamon,  sheltered  by  the  islands 
Calbalete  and  Alabat. 

But  in  the  remainder  of  Luzon,  from  the  isthmus  of 
Tayabas  eastward  and  southward,  the  coast  line  is  most 
irregular,  and  the  width  much  reduced.  A  chain  of 
mountains  commencing  at  and  forming  the  two  above- 
mentioned  islands  and  running  in  a  south-easterly  direction 
forms  the  peninsula  of  Tayabas. 

Another  range,  starting  near  the  Bay  of  Sogod,  runs  a 
little  south  of  east  as  far  as  Mount  Labo  (1552  metres), 
turns  south-east,  and  runs  along  the  southern  shore  of  the 
fertile  valley  of  the  River  Vicol,  and  with  many  a  break 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  LUZON  193 

and  twist  and  turn  reaches  Mount  Bulusan,  whose  slopes 
run  down  to  the  waters  of  the  Strait  of  San  Bernardino. 
The  convolutions  of  this  range  form  on  the  south  the 
secure  harbour  of  Sorsogon,  and  on  the  north  the  bays 
of  Albay,  Tabaco,  Lagonoy  and  Sogod,  besides  a  multitude 
of  smaller  ports  and  bays,  for  the  coast  line  is  wonderfully 
broken  up  by  spurs  of  the  main  ranges  running  out  into 
the  sea.  Luzon  generally  is  very  mountainous,  and  more 
especially  so  that  part  lying  to  the  north  of  16°  5',  where 
the  great  ranges  of  mountains  run  in  crooked  lines  but 
with  general  north  and  south  direction.  The  range  running 
parallel  to  the  Pacific  coast  is  called,  in  its  most  southern 
part,  the  Caraballos  de  Baler,  and  the  rest  of  it,  up  to 
Punta  Escarpada,  is  known  as  the  Cordillera  del  Este,  or 
the  Sierra  Madre.  The  central  range,  starting  from  Mount 
Caraballo  in  the  latitude  before  mentioned,  is  called  the 
Cordillera  Central  for  about  a  degree  of  latitude,  and  from 
there  is  known  as  the  Cordillera  del  Norte,  terminating  at 
Punta  Lacatacay,  in  longitude  121  °  east  of  Greenwich. 

The  mountains  on  the  western  coast  are  not  so  lofty, 
nor  do  they  form  a  connected  range.  They  are  known  as  the 
Sierras  de  Ilocos.  Some  of  these  ranges  are  thirty  or  forty 
miles  long.  There  are  cuts  in  places  where  rivers  find  an 
outlet  to  the  sea,  such  as  the  Rio  Grande  de  Laoag,  the 
Rio  Abra,  and  some  lesser  streams.  All  these  ranges  have 
spurs  or  buttresses.  Those  of  the  Central  Cordillera  extend 
as  far,  and  join  with,  the  coast  range  on  the  west,  covering 
the  whole  country  and  leaving  no  large  plain  anywhere,  for 
the  valley  of  the  Abra  though  long  is  very  narrow.  There 
is  a  little  flat  land  about  Vigan. 

But  the  eastern  spurs  of  the  central  range,  in  the  part 
of  Luzon  under  consideration,  do  not  interlace  with  the 
spurs  of  Sierra  Madre,  but  leave  a  magnificent  valley  more 
than  two  degrees  of  latitude  in  length  and  vaiying  breadth. 
This  is  the  only  great  valley  of  northern  Luzon,  and  through 
it  runs  the  Rio  Grande  de  Cagayan  and  its  tributaries,  the 
Magat  and  the  Rio  Chico,  with  numerous  minor  streams. 

Coasting  steamers  with  about  twelve  feet  draught  cross 
the  bar  of  the  Rio  Grande  and  lie  at  Aparri.  The  river  is 
navigable  in  the  dry  season  as  far  as  Alcala  for  light 
draught  steamers.  Alligators  abound  in  these  rivers.  In 
this  valley,  which  extends  through  the  provinces  of  Cagayan 
anc^  Isabela  up  into  Nueva  Vizcaya,  there  is  to  be  found  a 
great  extension  of  rich  alluvial  soil  on  which  can  be  raised, 

O 


19+      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


besides  other  tropical  crops,  most  excellent  tobacco,  the 
cultivation  of  which  was  for  many  years  obligatory  upon 
the  inhabitants,  who  were  forbidden  to  grow  rice. 

Little  has  been  done  in  the  way  of  making  a  trigono- 
metrical survey  of  the  Highlands  of  Luzon,  but  some 
military  reconnaissance  sketches  have  been  made  from 
time  to  time  by  staff  or  engineer  officers  employed  in 
building  forts,  and  from  these  several  maps  have  been 
compiled.  One  of  the  most  complete  of  these  is  by  that 
intrepid  explorer  and  painstaking  geographer,  D'Almonte. 
Another  map  has  been  published  by  Colonel  Olleros.  It 
must  be  admitted  that  these  maps  do  not  agree  with  each 
other,  but  that  is  not  unusual  in  maps  of  the  Philippines, 
and  results  from  a  custom  of  the  Spanish  engineers  of 
doing  too  much  in  the  office  and  not  enough  in  the  field. 
Colonel  Olleros  has,  however,  on  his  map  shown  the  lesser 
known  mountain  ranges  very  vaguely,  and  has  left  more 
than  a  thousand  square  miles  of  territory  quite  blank. 
This  tract  lies  between  the  central  range  and  the  Cagayan 
River,  and  is  inhabited  by  the  Apayaos,  Calingas,  Aripas, 
and  Nabayuganes.  Olleros  also  leaves  some  large  blanks 
on  the  east  coast,  and  he  is  quite  right  to  do  so,  for  this 
coast  has  hardly  been  visited  since  Salcedo  sailed  past  it  at 
the  time  of  the  Conquest,  and  nothing  is  known  about  that 
part  of  the  island  which  remains  to  this  day  in  possession 
of  the  savage  Dumagas,  a  Negrito  tribe.  That  coast  is 
almost  entirely  destitute  of  shelter,  and  is  exposed  to  the 
full  force  of  the  Pacific  surf.  It  is  made  more  dangerous 
by  tidal  waves  which  are  formed  either  by  distant  cyclones 
or  by  submarine  upheavals  and  occur  without  warning. 

The  largest  and  richest  valley  in  Luzon  is  that  which 
extends  without  a  break  from  the  shores  of  the  Bay  of 
Lingayen  to  the  Bay  of  Manila,  having  an  area  of  some 
3000  square  miles,  and  comprising  the  best  part  of  the 
Provinces  of  Pangasinan,  Tarlac,  Nueva  Ecija,  Pampanga, 
Bulacan  and  Manila. 

The  town  of  Tarlac  is  situated  about  half-way  between 
the  two  bays,  and  approximately  marks  the  watershed. 
About  half-way  between  Tarlac  and  the  northern  shores  of 
Manila  Bay  there  rises  from  the  plain  an  isolated  mountain 
of  volcanic  origin.  Mount  Arayat.  The  crater  has  been 
split  through  and  the  mountain  thus  shows  two  peaks.  It 
is  covered  with  forest  to  the  very  summit.  Arayat  ■I'as 
thrown  up  within  historic  times,  and  the  Indians  have  a 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  LUZON  195 


tradition  that  it  was  completed  in  one  night,  which  is  a 
most  unlikely  story. 

Mount  Arayat  is  2880  feet  in  height,  and  in  fine  weather 
is  plainly  visible  from  Manila  and  Cavite,  and  even  from 
the  mouth  of  the  bay. 

The  principal  rivers  of  this  valley  are  the  Agno,  the 
Dagupan,  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Rio  Chico  of  Pampanga. 

The  Agno  rises  in  the  mountains  of  Lepant o,  runs 
south  through  the  province  of  Benguet,  and  S.W.,  W.  and 
N.W.  in  Pangasinan  into  a  labyrinth  of  creeks  communi- 
cating by  many  mouths  with  the  Bay  of  Lingayen.  The 
river  between  Dagupan  and  San  Isidro  is  navigable  for 
vessels  drawing  seven  or  eight  feet,  and  such  craft  could 
reach  Salasa.  From  there  to  Rosales  only  lighters  of  very 
small  draught  could  pass,  and  after  a  long  spell  of  dry 
weather  rice-boats  drawing  only  one  foot  sometimes  run 
aground.  Its  principal  tributaries  are  the  Tarlac  and  the 
Camiling,  with  dozens  of  smaller  streams  bringing  the 
whole  drainage  of  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Zambales 
mountains  from  Mount  Iba  to  San  Isidro. 

The  Dagupan  river  rises  in  the  mountains  about  the 
limits  of  Union  and  Benguet  and  runs  parallel  to  the 
Agno  to  16°  N.  lat.,  and  between  it  and  the  sea.  Then  it 
turns  to  the  westward,  and  runs  past  the  towns  of  Urdaneta, 
Sta,  Barbara,  and  Calasiao,  entering  the  Bay  of  Lingayen 
at  Dagupan.  It  has  a  multitude  of  small  tributaries  which 
are  very  differently  shown  on  DAlmonte's  and  OUeros' 
maps,  and  undoubtedly  this  part  has  never  been  surveyed. 

The  Pampanga  river  has  its  source  on  the  southern 
slopes  of  the  Caraballo,  in  about  16°  10'  N.  lat.  It  runs 
south  in  two  branches,  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Rio  Chico  ; 
the  first,  being  the  easternmost,  receives  the  drainage  from 
the  western  slopes  of  the  Cordillera  del  Este,  whilst  the 
Chico  receives  tributaries  from  both  sides  in  the  flat  country 
and  also  the  overflow  from  the  Lake  of  Canarem. 

These  two  branches  unite  just  north  of  Mount  Arayat, 
and  continue  in  a  southerly  direction.  The  river  is  navigable 
for  small  craft  drawing  three  feet  as  far  as  Candaba  in  the 
dry  season,  and  in  the  rainy  season  as  far  as  San  Isidro  in 
Nueva  Ecija.  When  in  flood  during  the  rainy  season,  this 
river  brings  down  a  large  body  of  water  and  annually  over- 
flows its  banks  in  certain  places,  where  gaps  occur.  The 
escaping  water  spreads  itself  over  a  low  plain  forming  an 
inundation  some  sixteen  miles  long  and  several  miles  wide, 

O  2 


196      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

called  the  Pinag  de  Candaba.  This  remains  during  the 
rainy  season,  and  when  the  level  of  the  Rio  Grande  has 
fallen  sufficiently,  the  water  of  the  Pinag  commences  to 
fall  also,  and  during  the  middle  and  latter  part  of  the  dry 
season,  and  the  beginning  of  the  rainy  season,  only  patches 
of  water  remain  here  and  there,  which  are  utilized  for 
breeding  fish,  and  a  crop  is  raised  on  the  land  left  dry.  A 
project  for  draining  the  Pinag  and  reclaiming  the  land  was 
many  years  ago  got  up  by  a  Spanish  colonel  of  engineers, 
and,  at  the  request  of  an  English  company,  I  went  up  to 
investigate  and  report  on  it  I  found  that,  irrespective  of 
the  difficulties  and  expense  of  the  proposed  works,  the 
vested  rights  of  the  natives  of  the  many  towns  and  villages 
in  and  around  the  Pinag  rendered  it  impossible  to  carry  out 
the  scheme. 

Vast  flocks  of  wild  duck  and  other  water-fowl  frequent 
the  Pinag,  and  good  sport  is  to  be  had  there.  Below  the 
Pinag  the  river  spreads  itself  over  the  low  country,  forming 
a  labyrinths  of  creeks  mostly  navigable  for  craft  drawing 
three  to  four  feet,  but  the  mouths  are  all  very  shallow  and 
the  bars  can  only  be  crossed  about  high  tide.  The  water  is 
brackish  or  salt.  An  immense  extent  of  country  is  inter- 
sected by  these  creeks,  certainly  200  square  miles,  and 
there  are  said  to  be  120  mouths  connecting  with  the  bay. 
With  the  exception  of  two  or  three  of  the  principal 
channels,  this  swamp  has  never  been  surveyed,  and  what 
is  shown  on  the  map  is  merely  guessed  at.  The  muddy 
soil  is  covered  with  mangrove  in  the  low  parts  submerged 
at  each  tide,  and  with  the  Nipa  palm  where  the  banks  rise 
above  high  water.  Under  the  heading  Pampangos  will  be 
found  particulars  of  the  manufacture  of  nipa-thatch  carried 
on  here,  and  of  collecting  and  distilling  the  juice.  With 
the  exception  of  a  few  half-savage  natives  the  only  living 
things  are  wildfowl,  fish  in  abundance,  alligators,  snakes, 
and  blue  crabs.  This  is  indeed  a  great  dismal  swamp, 
more  especially  at  low  tide. 

It  is  difficult  to  find  one's  way  in  these  creeks,  and 
although  I  frequently  traversed  them,  I  found  it  necessary 
to  take  a  swamp  Indian  as  a  guide. 

The  city  of  Manila  is  situated  astride  the  River  Pasig 
on  a  strip  of  land  between  the  Bay  of  Manila  and  a  great 
sheet  of  freshwater  called  the  Lake  of  Bay.  In  consequence 
of  this  situation,  Manila  can  communicate  by  the  bay,  the 
lake,  the  creeks  and  rivers  with  the  provinces  of  Bataan, 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  LUZON  I97 

Pampanga,  Nueva  ficija,  Bulacan,  Morong,  Laguna,  and 
Cavite.  Until  the  opening  of  the  Manila-Dagupan  railroad 
the  whole  transport  of  the  Archipelago  was  by  water,  and 
the  possession  of  navigable  rivers  meant  progress  and 
wealth,  whilst  the  absence  of  rivers  meant  stagnation  and 
poverty.  Around  the  city  the  land  is  quite  flat,  but  at 
about  four  miles  distance  there  is  a  sharp  rise  to  a  plateau 
of  volcanic  tuff,  the  surface  of  which  is  from  sixty  to  eighty 
feet  above  sea  level,  of  which  more  anon.  The  River  Pasig 
is  the  overflow  from  the  lake  and  the  outlet  for  the  River 
San  Mateo,  which  runs  into  it  at  right  angles.  The  lake 
serves  as  a  receiver  for  the  great  floods  that  come  down  the 
San  Mateo  valley ;  for  the  level  of  that  river  at  Santolan, 
the  intake  of  the  waterworks,  sometimes  rises  more  than 
twenty  feet.  When  this  occurs,  the  flood  on  reaching  the 
Pasig  is  divided  ;  part  runs  into  the  lake,  and  part  into  the 
bay.  The  current  of  the  Pasig  in  that  part  between  the 
junction  of  the  San  Mateo  and  the  outlet  from  the  lake  is 
reversed.  Then  when  the  flood  subsides,  the  water  which 
has  entered  the  lake  runs  out  very  slowly  into  the  bay, 
for  the  head  produced  by  the  greatest  flood  becomes 
insignificant  from  being  spread  over  the  vast  extent  of 
the  lake. 

Rice,  sugar,  cocoa-nuts,  bamboos,  timber,  and  fruits  are 
the  principal  products  of  the  province  of  La  Laguna.  The 
inhabitants  supply  the  Manila  markets  with  poultry.  The 
Pasig  and  the  lake  are  navigated  by  light  draught  steamers 
which  ply  daily  to  Biiian,  Calamba,  and  Santa  Cruz.  There 
are  also  numerous  native  small  craft,  which  bring  down  the 
produce.  To  the  south  of  Manila  the  province  of  Cavite 
slopes  gently  up  from  the  shores  of  the  bay  and  from  the 
lake  to  the  high  cliffs  at  the  northern  end  of  the  volcanic 
lake  of  Taal.  The  valley  is  intersected  by  numerous  streams 
all  of  which  run  into  the  bay.  Part  of  this  province,  near 
Manila,  is  a  stony  and  sandy  desert,  but  other  parts  of  it 
are  extremely  fertile,  and  large  crops  of  rice,  with  some 
cofl"ee,  and  cacao,  and  fruits,  are  raised.  The  Augustinians 
and  Dominicans  have  large  estates  here,  and  have  ex- 
pended considerable  sums  on  dams  to  retain  water  for 
irrigation. 

The  Lake  of  Bombon,  or  Taal,  has  in  its  centre  an 
island  containing  the  remains  of  the  volcano.  From  the 
nature  of  the  surrounding  country  it  is  conjectured  that  on 
the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  lake  a  volcanic  mountain. 


198      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

some  8000  feet  high,  formerly  stood.  The  great  bed  of 
volcanic  tuff  already  mentioned,  extending  from  thence  up 
to  Meycauayan  more  than  sixty  miles  distant,  is  thought 
to  have  been  ejected  from  that  lofty  volcano,  leaving  a  vast 
hollow  cone,  which  ultimately  collapsed,  causing  a  con- 
vulsion in  the  surrounding  country  that  must  have  rivalled 
the  iamous  cataclysm  of  Krakatoa.  This  is  the  opinion 
of  D.  Jose  Centeno,  a  mining  engineer  employed  by  the 
Spanish  Government,  and  was  fully  confirmed  by  my 
learned  friend,  the  late  Rev,  J.  E.  Tenison-Wood,  who 
carefully  examined  the  locality,  and  studied  all  the  records. 

The  province  of  Batangas  is  very  rich  and  fertile  ;  it 
has  some  mountains,  but  also  a  considerable  extension  of 
sloping  or  flat  land.  In  beauty  it  will  compare  with  the 
best  parts  of  Surrey,  such  as  the  view  from  Leith  Hill, 
looking  south.  Sugar  and  coffee  are  the  principal  products, 
and  the  towns  of  Taal,  Bauang,  Batangas,  and  Lipa  are 
amongst  the  wealthiest  of  Luzon.  The  fields  are  well 
cultivated,  and  oxen  are  much  used,  both  for  ploughing 
and  for  drawing  carts.  The  beef  in  this  province  is 
excellent. 

Opposite  to  this  beautiful  and  wealthy  province  lies  the 
huge  island  of  Mindoro.  Ever  black  and  gloomy  does  it 
look,  its  lofty  mountains  almost  perpetually  shrouded  in 
rain-clouds.  When  I  lived  in  Balayan  I  had  a  good  view 
of  this  island  from  my  windows,  and  can  scarcely  remember 
its  looking  otherwise  than  dark  and  forbidding.  Nothing 
comes  from  it  but  timber  and  jungle  produce.  There  are 
known  to  be  some  beds  of  lignite.  Only  the  coast  is  known, 
and  the  jungle  fever  prevents  exploration.  The  island  of 
Marinduque  is  healthier  and  more  advanced.  It  produces 
hemp  of  fine  quality. 

The  province  of  Tayabas  is  very  mountainous,  and  is 
still  mostly  covered  with  forest ;  there  are  no  wade  valleys 
of  alluvial  soil.  Some  rice  is  grown,  also  large  quantities  of 
cocoa-nuts,  and  some  coffee  and  cacao.  Timber  and  jungle 
produce  form  the  principal  exports.  I  have  seen  many 
specimens  of  minerals  from  this  province  and  think  it  would 
be  well  worth  prospecting.  But  the  climate  is  unhealthy, 
and  dangerous  fevers  prevail.  This  circumstance  has  been 
useful  to  the  Spanish  Government,  for  when  a  governor  or 
official  had  made  himself  disliked  he  could  be  appointed  to 
Tayabas  with  a  fair  prospect  of  getting  rid  of  him  either  by 
death  or  by  invaliding  in  two  or  three  years  at  most. 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  LUZON  199 

Camarines  Norte  is  also  mountainous,  and  there  is  not 
much  cultivation,  only  a  little  rice  and  hemp.  The  popula- 
tion is  very  sparse,  and  the  inhabitants  are  mostly  employed 
(when  they  do  anything)  in  washing  for  gold  at  Mambulao, 
Paracale,  and  other  places  on  the  Pacific  coast.  If  they 
strike  a  pocket,  or  get  a  nugget,  they  go  on  the  spree  till 
they  have  spent  it  all  and  can  get  no  more  credit,  and  then 
unwillingly  return  to  work.  Camarines  Sur  possesses  a 
wide  expanse  of  fertile  soil  in  the  valley  of  the  River  Bicol, 
in  which  are  the  Lakes  of  Buhi  and  Bato,  and  the  Pinag  of 
Baao.  The  Bicol  rises  in  the  province  of  Albay  and  runs 
through  the  whole  length  of  Camarines  Sur,  generally  in  a 
north-westerly  direction,  running  into  the  great  Bay  of  San 
Miguel.  It  is  navigable  for  small  vessels  up  to  the  town  of 
Nueva  Caceres.  Alligators  abound  here.  A  gap  in  the 
coast  range  gives  access  to  this  valley  from  the  port  of 
Pasacao.  The  ground  is  level  for  leagues  around,  yet  from 
this  plain  two  extinct  volcanoes  rear  their  vast  bulk,  the 
Ysarog,  6500  feet  high,  and  the  Yriga,  nearly  4000  feet 
high.  Camarines  Sur  contains  more  than  five  times  as 
many  inhabitants  as  Camarines  Norte,  although  not  very 
different  in  area.  Their  principal  occupation  is  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  extensive  rice  lands.  They  also  produce  some 
hemp  and  a  little  sugar.  Large  quantities  of  rice  are  ex- 
ported to  Manila,  to  Albay,  and  to  Bisayas.  Cattle  are 
raised  in  the  island  of  Burias,  which  belongs  to  this  province  ; 
it  also  produces  some  palm  sugar.  This  province  is  much 
richer  than  either  Tayabas  or  Camarines  Norte. 

The  province  of  Albay  is  the  southernmost  and  eastern- 
most part  of  Luzon,  and  is  one  of  the  richest  and  most 
beautiful  regions  of  that  splendid  island.  The  northern 
part,  which  commences  at  Punta  Gorda  on  the  Bay  of 
Lagonoy,  is  similar  to  the  neighbouring  Camarines  Sur,  as 
is  also  the  western  part,  about  the  shores  of  Lake  Bato. 
A  little  to  the  southward,  however,  the  gigantic  Mayon 
rears  its  peak  8000  feet  into  the  sky.  The  symmetry  of 
this  wondrous  cone  is  but  feebly  rendered  by  the  photo- 
graph. Some  of  the  most  violent  eruptions  of  this  remark- 
able volcano  are  mentioned  under  another  heading  in  the 
Appendix. 

On  this  volcanic  soil,  with  the  life-giving  heat  of  the 
sun  tempered  by  frequent  rains,  the  vegetable  kingdom 
flourishes  in  the  utmost  luxuriance.  Tree-ferns,  lianas, 
orchids,  palms  grow  vigorously.     On  the  mountain  slopes 


200      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  Musa  textilis,  or  abacd  plant,  finds  its  most  congenial 
habitat.  Little  rice  is  grown,  the  inhabitants  being  mostly- 
engaged  in  the  more  remunerative  occupation  of  planting 
and  preparing  this  fibre. 

A  description  of  the  manner  of  its  preparation,  with 
photographs  of  the  growing  plants  and  of  the  apparatus  for 
cleaning  the  fibre,  will  be  found  under  the  description  of 
the  Vicols. 

The  island  of  Catanduanes  belongs  to  Albay  province, 
and  its  characteristics  and  productions  are  the  same.  The 
configuration  of  the  province  of  Albay  is  most  favourable 
to  the  production  of  this  fibre.  The  plant  seems  to  require 
a  light  volcanic  soil,  a  certain  height  above  the  sea,  and 
exposure  to  the  Pacific  breezes  in  order  to  flourish. 

To  summarise  the  description  of  Luzon  we  may  say 
that  its  agricultural  wealth,  present  and  future,  lies  in  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  Grande  of  Cagayan,  in  the  great  valley 
lying  between  the  Gulf  of  Lingayen  and  the  shores  of  the 
Bay  of  Manila,  in  the  rich  lands  of  Cavite,  Batangas,  and 
Laguna,  in  the  valley  of  the  River  Bicol,  and  on  the  slopes 
of  the  volcanoes  of  Albay. 

The  production  of  the  great  northern  valley  is  principally 
tobacco  ;  of  the  middle  valley,  sugar  and  rice  ;  of  the  southern 
valley,  rice,  and  of  the  volcanic  slopes,  Manila  hemp.  The 
Sierras  of  Ilocos  are  highly  mineralised,  as  are  also  the 
mountains  of  Tayabas,  whilst  as  already  stated  washing  for 
gold  is  the  principal  industry  of  Camarines  Norte.  Parts 
of  this  great  island,  as  in  Bulacan  and  Pampanga,  support 
a  dense  population  of  500  to  the  square  mile  ;  whilst,  in 
other  parts,  hundreds  or  even  thousands  of  square  miles 
are  absolutely  unknown,  and  are  only  populated  by  a  few 
scattered  and  wandering  savages,  many  of  whom  have 
never  seen  a  white  man. 


(      20I      ) 


THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES. 

Descriptio7i  of  their  appearance,  dress,  arms,  religion,  manners  and 
customs,  and  tlie  localities  they  inhabit,  their  agriculture,  in- 
dustries and  pursuits,  with  s7iggestions  as  to  how  they  can  be 
utilized,  commercially  and  politically.  With  many  unpublished 
photographs  of  natives,  their  arms,  ornaments,  sepulchres,  and 
idols. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

AETAS  OR   NEGRITOS, 
INCLUDING   BALUGAS,   DUmAgAS,   MAMANUAS,   AND   MANGUiAnES. 

These  people  are  generally  considered  to  be  the  aborigines 
of  the  Philippines,  and  perhaps  at  one  time  inhabited  the 
entire  group.  The  invasion  of  the  Malays  dispossessed 
them  of  the  littoral,  and  of  the  principal  river  valleys,  and 
the  Spanish  Conquest  drove  them  gradually  back  into  the 
mountains.  It  seems  strange  that  these  irreclaimable 
savages  should  be  able  from  their  eyries  on  Mount 
Mariveles  to  distinguish  a  great  city  with  its  Royal  and 
Pontifical  University  and  yet  remain  unconverted,  un- 
civilised, and  independent  of  all  authority,  just  as  they  were 
before  Legaspi  arrived. 

They  are  a  race  of  negroid  dwarfs  of  a  sooty  black 
colour,  with  woolly  hair,  which  they  wear  short,  strong  jaws, 
thick  lips,  and  broad  flat  noses.  The  men  I  have  seen  in 
the  jungle  near  Porac  and  at  Mariveles  were  about  4  feet 
8  inches  in  height,  and  the  women  about  a  couple  of  inches 
shorter.  The  men  only  wore  a  cord  round  the  waist  with  a 
cloth  passed  between  their  legs.  The  women  wore  a  piece 
of  cloth  around  the  hips,  and  as  ornaments  some  strings  of 
beads    round    their    necks.     However,    like    many   other 


202      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

savages  in  the  Philippines  and  elsewhere,  those  of  them, 
both  men  and  women,  who  are  accustomed  to  traffic  with 
the  Christian  natives,  are  possessed  of  clothes  which  they 
put  on  whenever  they  enter  a  village.  Their  appearance 
was  not  prepossessing  ;  the  skin  of  a  savage  is  rarely  in 
good  order  or  free  from  some  scaly  eruption,  and  the 
stomach  is  commonly  unduly  distended  from  devouring 
large  quantities  of  vegetable  food  of  an  innutritious 
character.  Still  they  were  not  so  unpleasing  as  might  be 
supposed,  for  although  their  figures  are  not  good  according 
to  our  standards,  nor  are  their  muscles  well  developed, 
either  on  arms  or  legs,  yet  there  was  a  litheness  about  them 
that  gave  promise  of  extreme  agility  and  great  speed  in 
running.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  do  run  fast,  and  climb 
trees  in  a  surprising  way.  The  Tagals  and  other  Malays 
who  go  barefooted  use  their  toes  to  pick  up  an  object  on 
the  ground  rather  than  stoop  as  a  European  would  do,  but 
the  toes  of  the  Negritos  are  more  like  fingers.  They  come 
near  the  Quadrumanes  in  this  respect.  The  men  carried 
bows,  about  five  feet  six  inches  long  and  a  quiver  full  of 
iron-pointed  arrows — also  a  wood-knife,  or  bolo,  very  roughly 
made.  The  former  they  make  themselves  ;  but  the  latter 
they  obtain  from  the  Tagals.  I  can  confirm  from  my  own 
experience  a  statement  of  various  travellers,  that  they  are 
fond  of  lying  close  to  fires  or  in  the  warm  ashes,  for  when  I 
arrived  at  a  bivouac  of  these  people  near  Porac,  their  skins 
were  covered  with  ashes,  and  I  saw  that  they  had  recently 
arisen  from  their  favourite  lair,  the  prints  of  their  forms 
being  plainly  visible.  They  had  with  them  some  wretched 
starveling  dogs  which  assist  them  in  the  chase. 

It  would  seem  that  the  Negritos  must  be  descended 
from  a  race  which  formerly  extended  over  a  vast  area,  for 
remains  of  them  exist  in  Southern  India,  in  the  mountains 
of  Ceylon,  and  in  the  Andaman  Islands. 

In  the  Malay  Peninsula  they  are  called  Semang. 
From  the  description  of  them  given  by  Hugh  ClifTord,  in 
his  interesting  book,  '  In  Court  and  Kampong,'  they  appear 
to  be  identical  with  the  Philippine  Negritos.  Crauford,  in 
his  '  History  of  the  Indian  Archipelago,'  gives  the  measure- 
ment of  a  Negrito  from  the  hills  of  Kedah  as  four  feet 
nine  inches.  Mr.  F.  V.  Christian,  in  a  paper  recently  read 
before  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  stated  that  he  had 
found  tombs  of  Negritos  on  P6nape  one  of  the  Caroline 
group. 


A  ETAS  OR  NEGRITOS  203 


The  Negritos  build  no  houses,  and  are  nomadic,  in  the 
sense  of  moving  about  within  a  certain  district.  They  Hve 
in  groups  of  twenty  or  thirty  under  a  chief  or  elder,  and  take 
his  advice  about  camping  and  breaking  up  camp,  which 
they  do  according  to  the  seasons,  the  ripening  of  jungle 
fruit,  movements  of  game,  etc.  They  seem  to  have  great 
reverence  for  their  dead  and  for  their  burial-grounds,  and 
apparently  dislike  going  far  away  from  these  places  where 
they  suppose  the  souls  of  their  ancestors  are  wandering. 
They  bury  their  dead,  placing  with  them  food  and  weapons 
for  their  use,  and  erect  a  rough  shelter  over  the  graves. 

It  would  be  curious  to  learn  the  opinion  of  these  poor 
savages  on  the  proceedings  of  some  learned  Teuton, 
prowling  around  their  graveyards  in  search  of  skulls 
and  skeletons  for  the  Berlin  or  Dresden  Ethnographical 
Museum. 

They  have  no  tribal  organisation  and  even  make  war 
on  other  groups,  seeking  victims  for  the  death-vengeance. 
They  are  therefore  unable  to  assemble  in  large  numbers  ; 
nor  is  it  easy  to  see  how  they  could  subsist  if  they  did  so. 
They  put  up  rough  sloping  shelters  against  the  sun  and 
wind,  consisting  of  a  framework  of  saplings  or  canes, 
covered  with  coarse  plaited  mats  of  leaves  which  they  carry 
with  them  when  they  move  their  camp. 

In  Pampanga  and  Bataan,  they  are  occasionally  guilty 
of  cattle  stealing,  and  even  of  murdering  Christians,  if  a 
favourable  opportunity  presents  itself  In  such  a  case  an 
expedition  of  the  Cuadrilleros  of  the  neighbouring  towns  is 
sent  against  them. 

If  they  can  be  found,  their  bows  and  arrows  are  no 
match  for  the  muskets  of  the  Cuadrilleros,  and  some  of 
them  are  sure  to  be  killed.     After  a  time  peace  is  restored. 

The  trade  for  jungle  produce  is  too  profitable  to  the 
Christians  for  them  to  renounce  it,  whatever  the  authorities 
may  order. 

The  Negritos  do  not  cultivate  the  ground  but  subsist 
on  jungle  fruits  and  edible  roots,  their  great  luxury  is  the 
wild  honey  which  they  greedily  devour,  and  they  barter  the 
wax  with  the  Christians  for  rice  and  sweet  potatoes.  They 
also  hunt  the  deer  and  wild  pigs,  and  as  Blumentritt  says, 
they  eat  everything  that  crawls,  runs,  swims,  or  flies,  if  they 
can  get  it.  They  chew  bnyo  like  the  Tagals  and  other 
Malays,  and  are  inordinately  fond  of  smoking. 

They  are  said  to  hold  the  lighted  end  of  their  cigars  in 


304      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

their  mouths,  a  thing  I  have  seen  done  by  the  negroes  on 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama. 

They  appear  to  have  no  reh'gion,  but  are  very  super- 
stitious. They  celebrate  dances  at  the  time  of  full  moon, 
the  women  forming  a  ring  and  the  men  another  ring  outside 
them,  something  like  a  figure  in  the  Kitchen  Lancers. 
They  move  round  to  the  sound  of  some  rude  musical 
instruments  in  opposite  directions. 

Whether  this  performance  is  intended  as  a  mark  of 
respect  to  the  moon,  or  is  merely  held  at  the  full  for  the 
convenience  of  the  light,  I  cannot  say. 

Several  travellers  have  stated  that  they  sacrifice  pigs 
when  it  thunders.  As  thunder-storms  are  very  frequent 
and  often  of  extraordinary  violence  in  the  Philippines, 
this  custom  would  imply  the  possession  of  a  large  number 
of  pigs  on  the  part  of  the  Negritos.  Those  of  Mariveles 
and  of  the  Zambales  mountains  do  not  appear  to  possess 
any  domestic  animals,  except  dogs,  and  they  find  it  difficult 
to  kill  the  wild  pigs,  active  as  they  are.  Consequently,  I 
think  this  must  apply  to  those  Negrito  tribes,  such  as  the 
Balugas  and  Dumdgas,  of  whose  condition  I  shall  speak 
later.  They  are  also  said  to  offer  up  prayers  to  the  rain- 
bow. This  offering  can  be  made  with  greater  ease  than 
the  sacrifice  of  a  pig,  but  the  frequency  of  rainbows  at 
certain  seasons  will  keep  them  pretty  closely  to  their 
devotions. 

Ratzel,  *  History  of  Mankind,'  vol.  i.,  p.  471,  says  : 
Among  the  Negritos  of  Luzon,  a  fabulous  beast  with  a 
horse's  head  which  lives  in  trees  [is  venerated  under  the 
name  of  Balendik.  And  on  p.  478  :  When  killing  an 
animal,  the  Negritos  fling  a  piece  heavenwards  crying  out 
at  the  same  time,  "  This  is  for  thee." 

They  show  great  respect  for  old  age,  and  the  British 
War  Of^ce  might  learn  something  from  them  for  they  are 
reported  to  tend  with  love  and  care  every  old  man  of  war- 
like repute. 

Their  language  largely  consists  of  curious  clicks  and 
grunts,  and  those  of  them  who  trade  with  the  Christians 
usually  learn  enough  of  the  local  dialect  to  do  the  necessary 
bargaining. 

There  are  some  varieties  of  the  Negritos  who  are  more 
or  less  mixed  up  with  the  Malays,  but  their  origin  is  not 
clear. 

The  Malay  women  are  very  unprejudiced,  perhaps  there 


A  ETAS   OR  NEGRITOS  205 

are  no  women  on  earth  more  ready  to  form  temporary  or 
permanent  alliances  with  foreigners  :  they  do  not  disdain 
even  the  Chinamen.  They  perhaps  do  not  like  them,  but 
they  know  that  John  Chinaman  makes  a  good  husband, 
provides  liberally  for  his  family,  and  does  not  expect  his 
wife  to  do  any  hard  work. 

By  some  writers  the  Malay  women,  notably  the  Visayas, 
are  accused  of  unbounded  sensuality  (Anto.  de  Morga. 
Sucesos  de  Filipinas),  but  anyhow  the  Tagal  women 
draw  the  line  at  Negritos,  and  will  have  nothing  to  do 
with  them. 

Fray  Caspar  de  San  Agustin  however  thought  that  the 
Visaya  women  would  not  be  so  particular. 

This  being  so,  the  hybrid  races  in  Luzon  must  have 
sprung  from  the  union  of  Remontados — that  is  to  say,  of 
Malays  who  took  refuge  in  the  hills  either  from  a  natural 
love  for  savage  life,  or  as  fugitives  from  justice — with  the 
Negrito  women. 

Amongst  these  varieties  are  the  Bah'igas,  who  live  in 
the  eastern  cordillera  of  Nueva  Ecija,  in  north  and  south 
I  locos,  and  in  the  mountains  of  Tayabas.  Some  of  these 
people  have  advanced  a  step  in  civilisation,  they  build  huts 
and  do  a  little  rude  cultivation. 

The  Djitndgas,  another  hybrid  race,  occupy  the  eastern 
slopes  of  the  Sierra  Madre  from  the  northern  frontier  of  El 
Principe  district  to  the  Bay  of  Palanan,  where  the  last 
Tagal  village  is  situated,  the  Tagals  thinly  peopling  the 
shores.  But  from  Palanan  to  Punta  Escarpada  the  whole 
coast  is  in  the  undisputed  possession  of  the  Dumdgas. 

The  Diimdgas  keep  up  a  friendly  communication  with 
the  few  Christian  villages  near  them,  and  do  a  small 
trade  with  them.  They  even  work  on  their  lands  and 
help  in  fishing  for  a  small  remuneration,  generally  paid  in 
cotton  cloth. 

They  have  no  known  religion,  they  marry  without  cere- 
mony, and  are  said  to  disregard  the  ties  of  kinship. 

Those  who  live  far  from  the  Christian  villages  are  said 
to  be  entirely  brutal  and  devoid  of  all  virtue,  for  they 
will  sell  their  own  children  for  a  little  rice.  They  are 
almost  irreclaimable  from  their  savage  and  independent 
character. 

Some  of  these  Dumdgas  live  amongst  the  Irayas  and 
the  Catalangdnes,  two  heathen  and  semi-independent  tribes 
showing  signs  of  Mongolian  blood,  who  occupy  a  consider- 


2o6      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

able  stretch  of  country  in  the  province  of  Cagayan  between 
the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Sierra  Madre,  say  about  twenty 
geographical  miles  north  and  south  of  the  17th  parallel. 
These  Dumagas  intermarry  with  the  tribes  they  live 
amongst,  and  have  adopted  their  dress,  religion,  and 
customs. 

The  Mamamias,  also  a  hybrid  race,  inhabit  the  moun- 
tains of  the  north-east  promontory  of  Mindanao.  They  are 
few  in  number.  There  were,  in  1887,  four  Jesuit  mission 
stations  amongst  them,  three  of  which  are  on  Lake  Mainit, 
or  Sapongan,  as  it  is  called  on  some  maps. 

The  Manguidnes,  who  are  probably  a  hybrid  Negrito- 
Visaya  race,  occupy  almost  the  whole  interior  of  Mindoro, 
up  to  within  two  leagues  of  the  coast.  There  are  a  few  in 
the  mountains  of  Romblon  and  Tablas.  There  are  three 
varieties  of  these  people,  those  residing  near  the  western 
coast  are  much  whiter,  with  lighter  hair  and  full  beards. 

Those  living  in  the  centre  of  the  island  are  of  a  darker 
colour,  have  sloping  foreheads  and  less  intelligence,  while 
those  of  the  southern  part,  by  their  oblique  eyes,  aquiline 
noses  and  olive  colour,  show  signs  of  Chinese  blood. 

They  are  docile  and  do  not  fly  from  civilised  man.  A 
primitive  agriculture  and  the  collection  of  jungle  produce 
enables  them  to  obtain  from  the  Christians,  in  exchange, 
rice,  knives,  bells,  gongs,  tobacco,  and  buyo.  They  are  not 
much  advanced  in  religion,  but  are  very  superstitious. 
They  believe  that  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors  and  relations 
never  leave  the  places  where  they  lived,  but  remain  to 
protect  their  descendants  and  families.  There  is  noted 
amongst  these  people  a  strong  sense  of  morality  and 
honesty,  which  unfortunately  is  not  recognised  by  their 
Christian  neighbours,  who  are  accustomed  to  oppress  them 
with  the  most  exaggerated  usury. 

Since  these  words  were  written.  Dean  C.  Worcester  has 
published  his  book  on  the  Philippines,  and  amply  confirms 
these  remarks.  He  saw  a  good  deal  of  the  Manguidnes, 
and  bears  testimony  to  their  honesty  and  morahty,  and 
adds :  "  On  the  whole,  after  making  somewhat  extensive 
observations  amongst  the  Philippine  natives,  I  am  inclined 
to  formulate  the  law  that  their  morals  improve  as  the 
square  of  the  distance  from  churches  and  other  civilising 
influences." 

He  gives  some  particulars  of  their  laws,  and  of  their 
ordeals,  which  are  common  to  many  of  the  Malays.     There 


A  ETAS   OR  NEGRITOS  207 

are  some  Manguidnes  in  the  Island  of  Palawan.  They 
inhabit  the  mountains  in  the  interior  of  the  southern  part 
of  the  island,  and  little  is  known  about  them,  for  the 
pirate  races,  or  Mahometan  Malays,  who  occupy  the  coasts, 
keep  a  strict  watch  to  prevent  their  communicating  with 
outsiders. 

The  few  who  have  been  seen  by  the  Spaniards,  are  said 
to  be  industrious,  and  physically  similar  to  the  Tagbanuas. 
Their  customs  are  said  to  be  influenced  by  their  constant 
intercourse  with  the  Mahometans.  They  were  thought  to 
number  about  4000  in  1887,  by  Don  Felipe  Canga 
Arguelles,  the  Governor  of  the  Island.  The  Moors  appear 
to  oppress  the  Manguidnes  of  Palawan  much  as  the  Chris- 
tian natives  do  the  Mangtiidnes  of  Mindoro. 

The  illustration  represents  a  Negrito  from  the  Island  of 
Negros,  a  very  favourable  specimen  of  his  race.  He  wears 
the  head-dress  of  a  chief,  and  is  armed  with  a  bow  and 
arrow  of  portentous  length.  His  figure,  though  not  mus- 
cular, gives  promise  of  great  agility. 

The  Negritos  of  Palawan  are  few  in  number,  and 
resemble  those  of  Mariveles.  They  use  a  piece  of  cloth, 
made  of  the  inner  bark  of  a  tree  as  their  only  garment. 
They  call  this  the  Saligan.  They  inhabit  the  upper  parts 
of  the  mountains  between  Babuyan  and  Barbacan,  say 
from  10°  to  10°  20'  N.  latitude.  They  do  a  little  agri- 
culture in  a  primitive  fashion.  The  men  clear  the  land,  the 
men  and  women  together  do  the  planting,  and  the  women 
alone  the  reaping. 

Their  arms  are  bows  and  arrows,  and  the  only  education 
of  the  young  is  in  archery,  which  is  taught  them  by  their 
mothers  from  their  earliest  infancy. 

They  are  said  to  be  generous,  hospitable,  and  inoffen- 
sive, but  extremely  revengeful  if  they  are  ill-treated.  They 
have  no  religion,  but  perform  certain  ceremonies  from  time 
to  time.  Canga-Arguelles  computed  them  to  number 
about  500  in  1887. 

The  only  use  the  Negritos  can  be  to  the  United 
States  will  be  as  a  subject  of  study  for  the  elucidation 
of  problems  in  ethnography,  and  to  furnish  skeletons 
for  the  museums. 


2o8     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


PART    I. 

LUZON  AND  ADJACENT  ISLANDS. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Tagals  (i).* 

The  most  important  race  in  the  Archipelago  is  the  Tagal, 
or  Tagalog,  inhabiting  Central  Luzon,  including  the  follow- 
ing provinces : — 

Batangas,  Bulacan.  Bataan,  Camarines  Norte,  Cavite, 
Laguna,  Manila,  part  of  Nueva  ficija  and  Tayabas,  the 
districts  of  Infanta,  Morong,  and  part  of  Principe,  also  the 
Island  of  Corregidor  and  the  coast  of  Mindoro.  They 
probably  number  about  one  million  five  hundred  thousand 
souls. 

Antonio  de  Morga,  in  his  work  'Sucesos  de  Philipinas,' 
says  (p.  126) :  "  The  women  wear  the  bdro  and  saya,  and 
chains  of  gold  upon  their  necks,  also  bracelets  of  the  same. 
All  classes  are  very  clean  in  their  persons  and  clothing, 
and  of  good  carriage  and  graceful  {de  him  ayre y  gracia  "). 

They  are  very  careful  of  their  hair,  washing  it  with  gogo 
and  anointing  it  with  ajonjoli  oil  f  perfumed  with  musk. 

In  the  '  Relacion  de  las  Islas  Philipinas,'  1595  (?),  the 
anonymous  author  said  of  the  Tagals  :  "  The  people  of  this 
province  are  the  best  of  all  the  Islands,  more  polite,  and 
more  truly  our  friends.  They  go  more  clothed  than  the 
others,  the  men  as  well  as  the  women.  They  are  light- 
coloured  people  of  very  good  figures  and  faces,  and  like 
to  put  on  many  ornaments  of  gold,  which  they  have  in  great 
abundance." 

In  other  respects,  however,  they  seem,  from  the  same 
author,  to  be  less  worthy  of  praise,  for  he  goes  on  to  tell 
us :    When  some  principal  man  died,  in  vengeance  of  his 

*  The  territory  occupied  by  each  tribe  is  shoMH  on  the  general 
map  of  Mindanao  by  the  number  on  this  list. 

t  Ajonjoli  {Sesamvn  Indicum,  L.).     See  Chap.  XIX.  for  Gogo. 


A    MANILA    MAN. 


A     MANILA     GIRL. 


TAGALS:   CHARACTERISTICS  209 

death  they  cut  off  many  heads,  with  which  they  made  many 
feasts  and  dances.  .  .  .  They  had  their  houses  full  of  wood 
and  stone  idols,  which  they  called  Tao-tao  and  Lichac,  for 
temples  they  had  none.  And  they  said  that  when  one  of 
their  parents  or  children  died  the  soul  entered  into  one  of 
these  idols,  and  for  this  they  reverenced  them  and  begged 
of  them  life,  health,  and  riches.  They  called  these  idols 
anitos,  and  when  they  were  ill  they  drew  lots  to  find  which 
of  these  had  given  them  the  illness,  and  then  made  great 
sacrifices  and  feasts  to  it. 

They  worshipped  idols  which  were  called  Al  Priapo 
Lacapati,  Meilupa,  but  now,  by  the  goodness  of  God,  they 
are  enlightened  with  the  grace  of  the  Divine  Gospel  and 
adore  the  living  God  in  spirit. 

The  old  writer  then  remarks  on  the  cleverness  and 
sharpness  of  the  boys,  and  the  ease  with  which  they  learned 
to  read  and  write,  sing,  play,  and  dance. 

This  characteristic  appears  general  to  the  Malay  race, 
for,  speaking  of  the  Javanese,  Crauford  says  :  They  have 
ears  of  remarkable  delicacy  for  musical  sounds,  are  readily 
taught  to  play  upon  any  instrument  the  most  difficult  and 
complex  airs. 

According  to  Morga,  at  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  the 
Tagals  wrote  their  language  in  the  Arabic  character.  He 
says  :  They  write  well  in  these  Islands  ;  most  people  both 
men  and  women,  can  write.  This  tends  to  show  that  the 
equality  of  the  sexes,  which  I  shall  refer  to  later,  has  been 
customary  from  ancient  times. 

Tomas  de  Comyn  (18 10)  says  : 

The  population  of  the  capital,  in  consequence  of  its 
continual  communication  with  the  Chinese  and  other 
Asiatics,  with  the  sailors  of  different  nations,  with  the 
soldiers,  and  with  the  Mexican  convicts  who  are  generally 
mulattoes,  and  who  arrive  in  some  number  every  year,  has 
come  to  be  a  mixture  of  all  the  bloods  and  features,  or 
otherwise  a  degeneration  of  the  primitive  race. 

At  Cainta,  on  a  branch  of  the  Pasig,  the  natives  are 
darker,  taller,  and  of  a  different  type.  This  is  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that,  in  1762-63,  during  the  English  invasion, 
a  regiment  of  Madras  Sepoys  occupied  the  town  for  many 
months,  long  enough,  in  fact,  to  modify  the  native  type  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  be  plainly  visible  125  years  later. 

Crauford  says  that  some  Christian  inhabitants  of  Ternate 
followed  their  priests  (Jesuits)  to  Luzon  when  the  Spaniards 

P 


2IO     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

were  driven  out  of  Molucas  by  the  Dutch  in  1660.  They 
were  located  in  Marigondon.  There  is  now  a  town  called 
Ternatc  between  Marigondon  and  the  sea,  near  Punta 
Restinga.  But,  with  the  exception  of  the  capital  and  these 
two  places,  I  think  the  Tagals  have  not  greatly  altered  in 
physical  characteristics  since  the  Conquest — notwithstanding 
Ratzcl's  statement  that  "  Spanish-Tagal  half-breeds  in  the 
Philippines  may  be  numbered  by  the  hundred  thousand," 
which  I  consider  erroneous. 

The  fact  is,  that  whferever  a  small  number  of  male 
Europeans  live  amongst  a  native  race,  the  effect  on  the 
type  is  smaller  than  may  be  supposed,  and  what  there  is 
becomes  obliterated  or  disseminated  in  course  of  time. 
Colour  may  be  a  little  altered,  but  all  the  other  characteristics 
remain.  The  mestizas  are  not  so  prolific  as  the  native 
women,  and  notwithstanding  Jagor's  assertion  to  the  con- 
trary, they  often  marry  natives,  and  especially  if  their 
father  has  died  while  they  were  young.  I  knew  in  the 
town  of  Balayan  three  handsome  sisters,  daughters  of  a 
Spaniard  who  had  died  many  years  before.  Although  they 
lived  in  a  house  which  had  been  at  one  time  the  finest  in 
the  town,  and  still  retained  some  remnants  of  its  former 
grandeur,  they  had  reverted  entirely  to  the  native  customs 
and  dress.  They  spoke  only  Tagal,  and  all  three  of  them 
married  natives. 

The  tendency  of  the  Philippine  native  to  revert  to  old 
customs  is  well  marked,  and  I  agree  with  Jagor  when  he 
says  :  "  Every  Indian  has  an  innate  inclination  to  abandon 
the  hamlets  and  retire  into  the  solitude  of  the  woods, 
or  live  isolated  in  the  midst  of  his  own  fields,"  in  fact  to 
Remontar. 

The  Tagals  are  considered  by  Wallace  as  the  fourth 
great  tribe  of  the  Malay  race.  He  only  mentions  the 
Tagals,  but  in  fact  the  population  of  the  Archipelago, 
except  the  Negritos  and  some  hybrids,  belongs  to  the 
Malay  race,  although  slightly  mixed  with  Chinese  and 
Spanish  blood  in  a  few  localities.  They  are  here  and  there 
modified  by  mixture  with  other  races,  and  everywhere  by 
their  environment,  for  they  have  been  Roman  Catholics  and 
subject  to  Spanish  influence,  if  not  rule,  for  upwards  of 
three  centuries. 

They  difTer  little  in  physical  appearance  from  the  Malays 
proper  inhabiting  the  Peninsula,  and  although  their  manners 
and  customs  are  somewhat  changed,  their  nature  remains 


TAGALS:   FAMILY  LIFE  211 

the  same.     They  retain  all  the  inherent  characteristics  of 
the  Malay. 

/  The  Tagal  possesses  a  great  deal  of  self-respect,  and 
his  demeanour  is  quiet  and  decorous.  He  is  polite  to 
others,  and  expects  to  be  treated  politely  himself.  He  is 
averse  to  rowdiness  or  horse-play  of  any  kind,  and  avoids 
giving  offence. 

Cliaracteristics — Fam  ily  L  ife. 

For  an  inhabitant  of  the  tropics  he  is  fairly  industrious, 
sometimes  even  very  hard  working. 

Those  who  have  seen  him  poling  cascos  against  the 
stream  of  the  Pasig  will  admit  this. 

He  is  a  keen  sportsman,  and  will  readily  put  his  money 
on  his  favourite  horse  or  game-cock  ;  he  is  also  addicted  to 
other  forms  of  gambling.  The  position  taken  by  women 
in  a  community  is  often  considered  as  a  test  of  the  degree 
of  civilisation  it  has  attained.  Measured  by  this  standard, 
the  Tagals  come  out  well,  for  amongst  them  the  wife 
exerts  great  influence  in  the  family,  and  the  husband 
rarely  completes  any  important  business  without  her  con- 
currence. 

Crauford  considers  the  equality  of  the  sexes  to  be 
general  throughout  the  Indian  Archipelago,  more  particu- 
larly in  the  Island  of  Celebes,  where  the  inhabitants  are  the 
most  warlike  of  all. 

The  Tagals  treat  their  children  with  great  kindness  and 
forbearance,  those  who  are  well-off  show  much  anxiety  to 
secure  a  good  education  for  their  sons,  and  even  for  their 
daughters. 

Parental  authority  extends  to  the  latest  period  in  life. 
I  have  seen  a  man  of  fifty  years  come  as  respectfully  as  a 
child  to  kiss  the  hands  of  his  aged  parents  when  the  vesper 
bell  sounded,  and  this  notwithstanding  the  presence  of 
several  European  visitors  in  the  house. 

Children,  in  return,  show  great  respect  to  both  parents, 
and  come  morning  and  evening  to  kiss  their  hands.  I  may 
remark  that  their  manner  of  kissing  is  different  to  ours. 
They  place  the  nose  and  lips  against  the  cheek  or  hand 
of  the  person  to  be  saluted,  and  draw  in  the  breath 
strongly. 


P  2 


212    thp:  inhabitants  of  the  Philippines 


Appearance — Manners. 

The  Malays  in  general  are  not,  perhaps,  a  handsome 
race,  their  flat  noses  disfigure  them  in  the  eyes  of  the 
recently-arrived  European  or  American,  and  it  takes  time 
to  get  accustomed  to  them. 

Still,  their  rich  brown  skin  often  covers  a  symmetrical, 
lithe  and  agile  figure,  the  small  hands  and  feet  denoting 
their  Turanian  origin. 

The  youth  of  both  sexes  up  to  the  age  of  puberty  are 
not  seldom  of  striking  beauty,  and  their  appearance  is  not 
belied  by  their  behaviour.  They  are  trained  in  good 
manners  from  their  earliest  youth,  both  by  precept  and 
example. 

Palgrave  says  of  them  :  "  Nowhere  are  family  bonds 
closer  drawn,  family  affections  more  enduring,  than  amongst 
the  Malay  races.  ...  His  family  is  a  pleasing  sight,  much 
subordination  and  little  restraint,  unison  in  gradation,  liberty 
not  license.  Orderly  children,  respected  parents,  women 
subject,  but  not  suppressed,  men  ruling,  but  not  despotic, 
reverence  with  kindness,  obedience  in  affection,  these  form 
a  lovable  picture,  nor  by  any  means  a  rare  one  in  the 
villages  of  the  Eastern  Isles." 

It  may  here  be  interesting  to  note  the  very  contradictory 
opinions  that  have  been  expressed  upon  this  subject. 

John  Foreman.  W.  G.  Palgrave. 

The  Philippine  Islands,'  p.  194.  '  Malay  Life  in  the  Philip- 

'^^  >  r     7T  pines,'  p.  146. 

"  Home  discipline  and  training  Children  early  trained  by  pre- 
of  manners  are  quite  ignored,  cept  and  example  to  good  man- 
even  in  the  well-to-do  families.  ners,  show  less  disposition  to 
Children  are  left  without  control,  noise  and  mischief  than  is  ordi- 
and  allowed  to  do  just  as  they  nary  elsewhere  at  their  age. 
please,  hence  they  become  ill- 
behaved  and  boorish. 

As  will  be  seen  in  my  text,  my  own  experience  rather 
confirms  Palgrave's  opinion,  and  I  should  say  that  even  the 
children  of  the  peasantry  would  compare  favourably  both 
in  manners  and  intelligence  with  the  children  at  the 
Board  Schools  in  London,  and  to  say  nothing  of  Glasgow 
or  Liverpool. 

Amongst  the  Tagals,  it  is  customary  when  speaking  of 


TAGALS:  SUPERSTITIONS  213 

or  to  a  man  to  use  the  prefix  Si — thus  Si  Jose,  Mr.  Joseph 
whilst  a  woman  is  spoken  of  or  to  as  Aling  Maria,  Miss 
Mary.     The  word  Po  is  used  for  Sir.     Thus  :  Oo-po — Yes, 
sir  ;  Hindi'-po — No,  sir  ;  Uala-po — There  is  none,  sir  ;  May- 
ro6m-po — There  is  some,  sir. 

Cleanliness. 

The   sense   of    personal   dignity   and   self-respect,   the 

dominant  feeling  in  the    Malay  nature,  is   shown   in   the 

Tagals    by   a   general    cleanliness    in    their    persons    and 

clothing.      They  usually  live   near  water,   and    nearly  all 

^f^them  can  swim. 

The  heat  of  the  climate  makes  bathing  a  pleasure,  and 
as  the  temperature  of  the  sea  or  river  is  commonly  83°  F., 
a  prolonged  immersion  causes  no  inconvenience. 

On  the  morning  of  a  feast-day  the  number  of  bathers 
is  increased,  and  at  the  time  of  high  tide,  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  population  seems  to  be  in  the  water,  both 
sexes  and  all  ages  mixing  indiscriminately,  the  adults 
decently  covered  and  all  behaving  themselves  as  decorously 
as  the  bathers  at  Brighton,  Newport,  or  Atlantic  City. 

They  have  not  yet  arrived  at  that  precise  stage  of 
civilisation  that  develops  the  Rough,  the  Larrikin,  or  the 
Hooligan.  Palgrave  says  :  A  Malay  may  be  a  profligate, 
a  gambler,  a  thief,  a  robber,  or  a  murderer,  he  is  never 
a  cad. 

Palgrave  had  not  great  opportunities  of  knowing  the 
Tagals,  but  I  confirm  the  above  opinion,  although  I  do 
not  agree  with  the  views  on  the  future  of  the  Philippines, 
and  what  is  best  for  them,  expressed  in  his  fantastic  and 
hyphen-infested  verbiage,  all  seemingly  written  for  effect. 

Superstitions. 

The  Tagal  is  extremely  superstitious,  and  like  his 
kinsman,  the  Dayak,  he  is  a  believer  in  omens,  although 
he  has  not  reduced  them  so  completely  to  a  system,  and 
three  centuries  of  Christianity  have  diverted  his  superstitions 
into  other  channels. 

In  his  mind,  each  cave,  each  ravine,  each  mountain,  each 
pool,  each  stream,  has  its  guardian  spirit,  to  offend  or  to 
startle  which  may  be  dangerous.  These  are  the  jinni  of 
Southern  Arabia  and  Socotra. 


214      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  Balete  tree  {Fictis  Urostigima — Sp.)  corresponds 
to  our  Witch  Elm,  and  certainly  at  night  has  a  most 
uncanny  appearance.  Each  of  these  great  trees  has  its 
guardian  spirit  or  Tic-balan. 

Daring,  indeed,  would  be  the  Indian  who  would  pass 
such  a  tree,  enter  a  cave,  ascend  a  mountain,  or  plunge  into 
a  pool  without  bowing  and  uttering  the  Pasing  tabi  sa 
nono  [By  your  leave,  my  Lord]  that  may  appease  the 
spirit's  wrath,  just  as  the  Bedouin  of  Dhofar  cry,  "Aleik 
Soubera — aleik  soubera,"  to  propitiate  the  jinni. 

His  mental  attitude  in  this  respect  reminds  me  of  a 
story  told  me  many  years  ago  by  a  lady  residing  in  Hamp- 
shire. A  lady  neighbour  of  hers  inquired  from  her  whether 
she  taught  her  children  to  bow  when  the  Devil's  name  was 
mentioned.  My  informant  replied  in  the  negative,  where- 
upon the  lady  remarked,  "  I  do,  I  think  it  is  safer."  This 
is  the  way  with  the  Tagal,  he  bows  because  he  thinks  it  is 
safer.  If  that  prudent  lady  is  still  alive  and  may  chance  to 
read  this,  she  may  be  pleased  to  learn  that  her  opinion  is 
shared  by  the  whole  Malay  race. 

Child-birth  has  its  anxieties  everywhere,  and  the  more 
artificial  the  life  the  woman  has  led,  the  more  she  suffers 
at  that  critical  time.  The  Tagal  woman  whose  naturally 
supple  frame  has  never  been  subjected  to  tight-lacing,  nor 
compressed  within  a  tailor-made  costume,  has  a  far  easier 
time  of  it  than  her  European  sister,  but  superstition  and 
quackery  combine  to  terrify  and  ill-use  her. 

The  Patianac,  an  evil  spirit,  profits  by  the  occasion,  and 
his  great  delight  is  to  obstruct  the  birth,  or  to  kill  and 
devour  the  infant.  The  patianac  might  be  busy  elsewhere, 
but  from  the  ridge-pole  of  the  house  a  bird  of  ill-omen, 
the  dreadful  Tic-tic,  raises  a  warning  cry,  for  its  office  and 
delight  is  to  call  the  attention  of  the  evil  spirit  to  the 
opportunity  of  doing  mischief  Instantly  every  door  and 
window  is  closed  and  every  chink  stopped  to  prevent  its 
entrance,  whilst  the  anxious  father  and  his  kinsmen,  naked 
as  they  were  born,  walk  around  and  underneath  the  house, 
slashing  the  air  with  sticks  or  bolos  to  frighten  away  the 
spirit.  Sometimes  a  man  will  get  up  on  the  ridge-pole  to 
drive  away  the  Tic-tic. 

Meanwhile,  in  the  stifling  room,  it  is  too  often  the  case 
that  violent  means  are  used  to  expedite  the  birth,  so  violent 
indeed,  that  they  sometimes  result  in  the  permanent  injury 
or  in  the  death  of  the  woman. 


TAGALS:  SUPERSTITIONS  215 

Some  years  ago  the  Government  instituted  an  examina- 
tion for  midvvives,  and  only  those  were  allowed  the  practice 
who  had  been  properly  instructed,  so  that  these  absurdities 
and  cruelties  are  on  the  wane,  except  amongst  the  poorest 
or  in  outlying  districts. 

The  Asiian  is  merely  a  cannibal  ghost,  but  the  Tagal 
ghost  throws  stones,  a  thing  I  have  not  heard  of  a  ghost 
doing  in  Europe. 

All  sorts  of  stories  are  told  about  the  Asuan,  similar  to 
ghost  stories  in  other  lands. 

About  1 89 1  a  house  in  Malate  was  stoned  night  after 
night,  and  although  every  effort  was  made  to  find  out  the 
authors,  they  were  never  discovered,  and  the  natives  stead- 
fastly believed  it  to  be  the  doing  of  the  Asiiau. 

There  is  another  superstitious  idea  firmly  rooted  in  the 
minds  of  the  Tagals  and  other  natives,  of  which  the 
following  is  an  instance  :  A  villainous-looking  native  had 
been  captured  with  some  property  stolen  from  my  house, 
and  was  sent  to  the  lock-up  at  the  police  station,  from 
whence  he  promptly  escaped,  but  was  recaptured  later. 
My  coachman,  a  most  meritorious  servant  who  had  been 
with  me  for  years,  assured  me  in  an  impressive  manner, 
and  with  an  air  of  conviction,  that  the  culprit  was  one  of 
those  wizards  who  are  able  to  pass  through  a  keyhole  by 
drawing  themselves  out  into  the  thinness  of  a  piece  of 
string,  and  my  other  servants  accepted  this  view  implicitly. 

The  famous  Tidisanes  or  bandits,  thoroughly  believe  in 
the  power  of  the  Antin-Antin  or  amulet  to  render  them 
invulnerable  to  bullets.  It  is,  indeed,  remarkable  that  not- 
withstanding the  numbers  of  these  criminals  who  have  been 
shot  by  the  Guardia  Civil  with  their  Antin-Antin  upon 
them,  this  absurd  belief  should  flourish,  but  there  is  no 
doubt  it  does.  These  charms  consist  of  any  sort  of  necro- 
mancers' rubbish,  or  are  sometimes  writings  in  invocations, 
usually  worn  round  the  neck  under  the  clothing. 

The  profession  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  has 
perhaps  helped  this  superstition  to  linger  on,  for  the 
wearing  of  scapularies  is  common,  especially  amongst  the 
women.  These  articles  are  manufactured  for  the  priests  and 
some  are  sent  out  to  Antipolo,  to  be  blessed  at  the  shrine 
of  Nuestra  Sefiora  de  Buen  Viage  y  de  la  Paz,  and  sold  to 
the  pilgrims  who  crowd  in  thousands  to  this  shrine  in  May 
of  each  year. 

A  Tagal  woman  sometimes  wears  as  many  as  three  of 


2i6      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

these  scapularies  hung  from  silk  threads  round  her  neck 
and  covered  by  her  upper  garment.  They  usually  dispose 
two  in  front,  where  they  conceive  the  danger  is  greatest, 
and  one  on  the  back,  as  a  further  precaution  against  an 
attack  from  the  rear. 

Wearing  these  holy  amulets,  and  having  crossed  herself 
and  uttered  a  prayer  before  coming  downstairs  in  the 
morning,  the  Tagal  wife  or  maid  feels  that  she  has  done 
all  she  can,  and  that  if  any  backsliding  should  occur,  during 
the  day,  it  will  not  be  her  fault. 

She  believes  greatly  in  lucky  or  holy  numbers — I  heard 
the  following  story  related  by  a  native  lady  to  a  native 
priest  when  going  to  Batangas  by  steamer. 

The  lady  was  telling  the  priest  of  her  husband's  illness 
(it  appeared  to  have  been  congestion  of  the  lungs),  and  she 
prepared  and  applied  a  poultice  of  three  heads  of  garlic  in 
honour  of  the  Three  Persons  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  ;  this 
not  producing  the  desired  effect,  she  then  made  a  poultice 
of  five  heads  of  garlic,  in  honour  of  the  Five  Wounds  of  our 
Blessed  Saviour,  and  successively  others  of  seven  heads, 
in  honour  of  the  Seven  Pains  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  ;  twelve 
heads  in  honour  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  last  of  all 
a  poultice  of  thirty-three  heads  of  garlic  in  honour  of  the 
Thirty-three  years  our  Blessed  Saviour  remained  on  earth. 
The  priest  had  nodded  approval  as  she  went  on,  but  as  she 
stopped  he  said  :  "And  then  .''  "  To  which  the  lady  replied, 
"  Then  he  died." 

This  poor  man  came  off  easily,  for  in  some  cases  people 
who  suffer  from  fits  and  other  diseases  are  thought  to  be 
possessed  by  devils,  and  are  severely  beaten  to  drive  out 
the  evil  spirit.  The  patient  does  not  always  escape  with 
his  life. 

The  women  often  dream  of  lucky  numbers  in  the 
Manila  Lottery  and  make  every  endeavour  to  purchase 
the  number  they  have  dreamt  of 

Amongst  the  Christian  superstitions  may  be  mentioned 
the  feast  of  San  Pascual  Bail6n  at  Obando.  Those  who 
attend  this  function  are  commonly  the  rowdier  class  of 
inhabitants  of  the  Capital,  and  they  go  mostly  on  foot, 
making  music  and  dancing  on  the  way.  They  also  dance 
in  the  courtyard  in  front  of  the  church,  not  forgetting  to 
refresh  themselves  with  strong  drink  in  the  meanwhile. 

This  is  not  at  all  an  edifying  spectacle,  for  the  dancers 
are  covered  with  dust  and  with  the  perspiration  from  their 


TAGAL    GIRL    WEARING    SCAPULARY. 


Vl'ofiuc  p.  216. 


TAGALS:  SUPERSTITIONS  217 

active  exertions.  I  do  not  know  the  legend  that  gives 
occasion  to  this  curious  form  of  devotion.  Occasionally, 
and  especially  during  Holy  Week,  another  form  of  penitence 
is  practised  by  the  natives.  I  remember,  about  1892.  seeing 
one  of  these  penitents,  a  man  having  a  mask  on  his  face, 
the  upper  part  of  his  body  bare,  and  a  long  chain  fastened 
to  one  ankle  and  dragging  on  the  ground  behind  him.  In 
one  hand  he  bore  a  flagellum  with  which  he  from  time  to 
time  lashed  himself  on  the  shoulders,  which  bore  evident 
marks  of  the  discipline  they  had  received.  A  youth  who 
followed  him  occasionally  jerked  the  chain,  throwing  the 
penitent  violently  at  full  length  upon  the  dusty  road.  This 
form  of  penitence  is  not  approved,  however,  by  the  priests, 
for  when  I  called  on  the  parish  priest,  the  same  evening, 
I  mentioned  the  circumstance  to  him,  and  he  directed  the 
penitent  to  be  locked  up,  to  stop  what  he  rightly  termed  a 
scandal. 

On  many  occasions  the  natives  had  got  up  a  religious 
excitement,  and  great  gatherings  have  taken  place  at  some 
spot  where  a  miraculous  appearance  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
or  some  supernatural  manifestation  has  been  alleged  to 
have  occurred. 

All  these  affairs  have  been  somewhat  sceptically  in- 
quired into  by  the  priests  under  a  general  order  to  this 
effect  issued  by  the  archbishop,  and  so  far  as  my  experience 
goes,  the  excessive  religious  ardour  of  the  natives  has 
rather  been  checked  than  stimulated. 

When  writing  about  the  Visayas  I  shall  have  more  to 
say  about  misdirected  religious  zeal.  The  Tagals  practise 
circumcision  as  a  hygienic  measure,  and  not  as  a  religious 
rite.  The  operation  is  usually  performed  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  by  a  companion  or  friend  of  the  patient,  and  a 
sharp  flint  or  piece  of  volcanic  glass  (obsidian)  is  used  for 
this  purpose.  From  what  I  have  heard,  this  custom  is 
really  maintained  by  the  women,  who  refuse  their  favours 
to  the  uncircumcised  of  their  own  nation,  though  with 
foreigners  they  are  more  complaisant. 

Cursing. 

In  cursing,  the  Tagal  displays  a  directness  quite  worthy 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon.  All  his  remarks  are  very  much  to 
the  point,  and  would  have  earned  the  approval  of  the  late 
lamented  and  reverend  author  of  the   Ingoldsby  Legends. 


2i8      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

Leaving  out  the  world-wide  reflections  upon  the  virtues  of 
an  opponent's  female  ancestry,  since  these  appear  to  belong 
indiscriminately  to  all  nations,  the  principal  Tagal  curses 
are  as  follows  : — 

1.  May  an  evil  wind  blow  upon  you. 

2.  May  the  earth  open  and  swallow  you  up. 

3.  May  the  lightning  strike  you. 

4.  May  the  alligator  eat  you. 

The  superiority  of  the  Tagal  style  as  compared  with  the 
French  Mortbleu,  Ventre  bleu,  must  be  apparent  to  all 
unprejudiced  observers.  The  Tagal  has  drawn  all  his 
curses  from  the  grand  and  awful  operations  of  nature  in 
his  own  country,  except  the  last,  where  he  invokes  the 
dreaded  saurian,  the  most  fearsome  inhabitant  of  the 
Philippine  swamps,  rivers,  and  coasts — formerly  venerated 
by  his  ancestors  and  respectfully  addressed  by  them  as  nono, 
or  grandfather. 

Under  American  guidance  and  example,  I  think  the 
Tagals  quite  capable  of  developing  a  startling  vocabulary 
of  swear-words,  and  in  course  of  time  rivalling  their  in- 
structors in  profanity,  with  a  touch  of  their  old  style  to 
give  a  little  local  colour. 

Courtship. 

Courtship  is  sometimes  a  long  business  amongst  the 
Tagals.  It  is  still  customary  in  the  country  districts  for 
the  impecunious  candidate  for  matrimony  to  serve  the 
father  of  the  damsel  he  desires  to  wed  for  a  period  which 
may  extend  to  a  couple  of  years  or  more.  He  is  called  a 
Catipado,  and  is  expected  to  make  himself  generally 
useful,  and  to  take  a  hand  in  any  labour  that  may  be 
going  on,  sowing  or  reaping,  mending  the  roof,  or  patching 
the  canoe. 

It  is  his  privilege  to  assist  the  girl  of  his  choice  in  her 
labours.  The  girls  of  a  household  are  expected  to  husk  the 
rice  for  the  next  day's  use.  This  is  done  in  the  cool  of  the 
evening,  out  of  doors,  a  wooden  mortar  and  long  heavy 
pestle  being  used.  It  is  a  well-recognised  occasion  for  the 
lover  to  assist  and  entertain  his  sweetheart. 

Very  pretty  do  the  village  maidens  look,  as,  lightly 
clothed  in  almost  diaphanous  garments,  they  stand  beside 
the  mortars  plying  the  pestle,  alternately  rising  on  tiptoe, 


TAGALS:   COURTSHIP  AND  MARRIAGE  219 

stretching  the  lithe  figure  to  its  full  height  and  reach,  then 
bending  swiftly  to  give  force  to  the  blow. 

No  attitude  could  display  to  more  advantage  the 
symmetry  of  form  which  is  the  Tagal  maiden's  heritage, 
and  few  sights  are  more  pleasing  than  a  group  of  these 
tawny  damsels  husking  paddy  midst  chat  and  laughter, 
while  a  tropical  full  moon  pours  its  effulgence  on  their 
glistening  tresses  and  rounded  arms. 

Marriage. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  Catipado.  He  must  be  very 
careful  not  to  give  cause  of  offence  to  the  elders  of  the 
family,  more  especially  towards  the  end  of  his  term,  as 
there  may  be  a  disposition  amongst  them  to  dismiss  him, 
and  take  on  another  to  begin  a  new  term.  In  fact,  many 
natives  have  shown  themselves  so  unwilling  to  consent  to 
their  daughter's  marriage,  when  no  sufficient  reason  could 
be  given  for  their  refusal,  that  the  Governor-General,  repre- 
senting the  Crown,  is  entrusted  with  a  special  power  of 
granting  the  paternal  consent  in  such  cases. 

No  regular  marriage  can  be  celebrated  whilst  the  girl  is 
a  minor,  without  the  father's  consent. 

When  this  is  refused,  and  the  patience  of  the  lovers  is 
exhausted,  the  girl  leaves  her  father's  house  and  is  de- 
posited in  the  house  of  the  fiscal,  or  churchwarden,  under 
the  care  of  his  wife. 

A  petition  on  stamped  paper  is  then  prepared,  reciting 
the  circumstances  ;  this  goes  to  the  parish  priest  and  to  the 
Gobernadorcillo,  who  require  the  father  to  state  the  grounds 
of  his  refusal.  If  they  are  satisfied  that  no  good  reason 
exists,  the  petition,  with  their  approval  noted  on  it,  goes  to 
the  Governor-General,  and  in  due  time  a  notification 
appears  in  the  official  Gazette  that  the  Governor-General 
has  been  pleased  to  overrule  the  father's  negative,  and  a 
license  (on  stamped  paper  also)  for  the  marriage  to  be 
celebrated,  is  delivered  to  the  priest.  This  procedure  is 
very  necessary,  but  it  has  the  disadvantage  of  being  slow 
and  expensive,  so  that  in  some  cases,  instead  of  adopting 
this  course,  the  youthful  pair  allow  themselves  some  ad- 
vances of  the  privileges  of  matrimony,  and  perhaps  there 
arrives  a  time  when  the  obdurate  parent  finds  himself 
obliged  to  consent  to  legalise  an  accomplished  fact  to  avoid 
an  open  scandal. 


220      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  erring  damsel,  however,  may  think  herself  lucky  if 
she  escapes  a  fatherly  correction  laid  on  with  no  grudging 
hand,  before  the  reluctant  consent  is  granted. 

The  priest  will  of  course  require  the  youthful  sinners  to 
confess  and  do  penance  for  their  previousness  before  he  will 
marry  them. 

The  marriage  ceremony  is  a  very  simple  one,  and 
usually  takes  place  after  early  Mass.  The  priest  fixes 
the  fee  according  to  the  means  of  the  party  ;  it  is  often 
a  substantial  one.  After  the  ceremony  comes  a  Catapusati 
or  assembly,  when  the  relatives  and  friends  are  entertained. 
There  will  be  music,  and  unless  the  priest  disapproves  of 
dancing,  that  will  be  indulged  in.  The  Augustinians  mostly 
allow  dancing,  but  the  Dominicans  often  object  to  it  as  an 
immoral  amusement. 

The  house  will  be  hung  with  bright-coloured  cloths  and 
paper  lanterns  ;  the  table  loaded  with  refreshments,  both 
light  and  heavy. 


Wedding  Feasts. 

Roast  pig  is  a  standing  dish  at  these  feasts,  the  animal 
being  roasted  whole,  on  a  spit  over  a  fire  made  on  the 
ground.  A  professional  roaster  superintends  the  operation, 
and  the  pig  is  brought  to  a  fine  even  colour  all  over. 
Sometimes  there  are  roast  turkeys  or  roast  mutton  and 
kid,  possibly  beef  cooked  in  various  ways,  surely  fish  of 
different  kinds,  fresh,  salted,  or  smoked  ;  the  indispensable 
boiled  rice  or  morisqueta,  and  an  abundance  of  sweets,  fruits 
in  syrup,  guava  jelly,  and  Dutch  cheese.  There  will  be 
chocolate  and  perhaps  coffee.  As  to  drinks,  besides  some 
native  brews,  there  will  be  Norwegian  or  German  export 
beer,  or  Tennant's  beer  in  stone  bottles,  square-face  gin, 
and  Spanish  red  wine  (Vino  Tinto). 

Unlimited  Buyo,  cigarettes  and  cigars  are  provided.  All 
these  things  are  hospitably  pressed  upon  all  comers,  espe- 
cially upon  any  European  present.  If  his  politeness 
prevents  his  refusing  this  miscellaneous  assortment,  unless 
he  is  favoured  with  the  digestion  of  an  ostrich,  he  will  rue 
it  next  day,  and  perhaps  for  several  days.  The  worthy 
priest  is  naturally  in  the  place  of  honour,  and  like  the  wise 
man  he  mostly  is,  he  perhaps  brings,  slung  under  his  habit, 
or  sends   beforehand,  a  capacious  leather  bottle,  with  a 


TAGALS:    WEDDING   FEASTS  221 

supply  of  generous  wine  direct  from  some  convent  vineyard 
on  the  peninsula,  a  pure  natural  wine,  undefiled  and  un- 
fortified by  German  industrial  spirit.  A  tall  and  portly 
Augustine  monk,  in  his  spotless  and  ample  iwhite  robes, 
presents  a  very  imposing  and  apostolic  appearance,  and 
looks  quite  in  his  place  at  the  head  of  the  table.  The  host 
seldom  sits  down  with  his  guests,  but  busies  himself 
attending  to  their  wants. 


222      THE   INHABITANrS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

TAGALS  AS  SOLDIERS  AND  SAILORS. 

The  houses  of  the  well-to-do  natives  are  large  and  airy, 
and  are  kept  scrupulously  clean  under  the  vigilant  eye  of 
the  mistress. 

Hospitality  is  a  characteristic  of  the  Tagal.  According 
to  his  means  he  keeps  open  house  on  religious  feast-days 
or  on  family  festivals,  and  readily  invites  to  his  table  at  any 
time  travellers  who  may  be  passing  through  the  town. 
Having  enjoyed  their  hospitality  on  many  occasions,  I  can 
testify  to  their  kindness  and  liberality.  They  placed  at 
my  disposal  their  riding-ponies,  vehicles  or  canoes,  and  did 
all  in  their  power  to  show  me  anything  remarkable  in  their 
neighbourhood. 

The  Tagals  make  good  soldiers,  and  can  march  long 
distances  barefooted.  Morga  remarks  how  quickly  they 
learned  to  use  the  arquebus  or  musket  in  the  wars  of  the 
conquest.  They  gave  proofs  of  their  pluck  and  endurance 
when  assisting  the  French  in  Tonquin.  If  well  led  they 
will  advance  regardless  of  danger ;  when  once  engaged 
they  become  frenzied  and  blood-thirsty,  most  difficult  to 
restrain.  They  are  not  improved  by  being  made  to  wear 
gloves,  boots,  helmets,  and  European  uniforms. 

In  this  they  are  not  singular,  for  the  Ceylon  Rifle 
Regiment  (a  Malay  corps)  was  utterly  ruined,  and  never 
did  any  good  after  being  put  into  boots  and  gloves  by 
some  narrow-minded  martinet. 

As  sailors  they  are  unsurpassed  in  the  East.  They 
navigate  their  schooners  and  lorchas  with  much  skill, 
although  the  rigging  and  outfit  is  seldom  kept  in  thorough 
good  order  unless  they  have  a  Spanish  captain. 

They  serve  both  as  sailors  and  firemen  in  the  fine 
flotilla  of  coasting-steamers  belonging  to  Manila,  and  they 


TAGALS:  AS  SHIP-BUILDERS  J23 

manned  all  the  smaller  vessels  of  the  Spanish  Navy  in  the 
Philippines, 

Most  of  the  British  and  foreign  steamers  in  the  far  East 
carry  four  Manila  men  as  quarter-masters.  They  are  con- 
sidered to  be  the  most  skilful  helmsmen.  Their  ability  as 
mechanics  is  remarkable.  They  bear  out  entirely  Morga's 
description  of  them  :  "  Of  good  talent  for  anything  they 
undertake." 

They  will,  without  any  European  supervision,  heave 
down  wooden  sailing-vessels  up  to  about  looo  tons,  and 
repair  the  keel,  or  strip,  caulk,  and  re-copper  the  bottom. 
I  have  often  seen  this  done.  They  build  from  the  excellent 
hard  wood  of  the  country,  brigantines,  schooners,  lorchas, 
also  cascos,  and  other  craft  for  inland  navigation  and  shallow 
waters.  These  latter  vessels  are  most  ingeniously  con- 
trived, and  admirably  adapted  to  the  conditions  under 
which  they  are  to  be  used,  and  although  not  decked,  carry 
their  cargoes  dry,  and  in  good  order,  in  the  wettest  weather. 
They  make  the  most  graceful  canoes,  and  paddle  or  punt 
them  with  remarkable  dexterity. 

In  Manila  and  Cavite  are  to  be  found  a  fair  number  of 
native  engine-fitters,  turners,  smiths  and  boiler-makers. 

There  must  be  some  400  steam  sugar-mills  in  the 
islands  (besides  6000  cattle-mills).  The  engine-drivers  and 
firemen  are  all  natives,  and  mostly  Tagals. 

There  are  also  in  the  capital  large  numbers  of  native 
house-carpenters,  quarrymen,  stone-masons,  and  some  brick- 
layers and  brick-makers. 

Curiously  enough,  foundry  work  is  not  much  done  by 
Tagals,  although  when  Legaspi  arrived  in  Luzon  he  not 
only  found  cannon  mounted  at  Manila,  but  there  was  a 
cannon-foundry  there,  and  another  at  Tondo. 

There  are  foundries  at  the  latter  place  to  this  day 
belonging  to  Chinese  half-castes,  but  church  bells  are  more 
to  their  way  now  than  cannon.  They,  however,  cast  small 
brass  mortars  with  handles  like  quart  pots,  which  are  used 
for  firing  salutes  at  the  feasts  of  the  church.  But  I  think 
most  of  the  workmen  were  then,  and  are  now,  Chinese. 

They  make  their  own  gunpowder,  and  fireworks  of  all 
kinds.  They  are  inordinately  fond  of  these,  and  get  up 
very  creditable  displays.  They  are  careless  in  handling 
them,  and  I  was  eye-witness  of  an  explosion  of  fireworks 
during  a  waiter  fete,  on  the  passing  in  front  of  the  governor's 
palace  at  Malacafian,  when  a  number  of  people  were  killed. 


224      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

I  never  learned  how  many  had  perished,  and  the  news- 
papers were  forbidden  to  enlarge  upon  it. 

Excellent  carriages  are  built  in  Manila  entirely  by 
native  labour,  the  carromatas,  or  two-wheeled  vehicles 
used  for  travelling,  being  made  in  the  suburbs,  or  in 
Malabon. 

Carriage-building  is  an  important  trade,  for  an  incredible 
number  of  vehicles  of  all  sorts  are  used  in  Manila. 

Of  an  evening,  in  the  Luneta,  some  hundreds  may  be 
seen,  and  on  one  occasion,  at  the  races  of  the  Jockey  Club 
in  Santa  Mesa,  two  thousand  vehicles  were  reported  to  be 
present. 

Painting  and  decorating  is  executed  by  Manila  men  in 
excellent  style.  This  art  was  taught  them  by  Alberoni, 
and  other  Italians.  Their  pupils  have  covered  the  walls  of 
many  buildings  with  frescoes  in  the  Italian  style,  very  fairly 
done.  There  is  much  scope  for  their  art  in  decorating 
altars  and  shrines. 

The  Tagals  also  show  some  talent  for  sculpture,  as  any 
visitor  to  Manila  can  see  for  himself  by  inspecting  the 
Jesuit  Church,  which  is  a  marvel  of  patient  artistic  labour, 
having  taken  eleven  years  to  construct.  Some  of  the 
carving  there,  however,  is  so  delicate  and  minutely  detailed, 
that  it  appears  more  suitable  for  a  show  case  in  a  museum 
than  for  the  adornment  of  a  place  of  worship.  Of  course, 
every  detail  of  design  is  due  to  the  Jesuits  themselves, 
amongst  whom  talented  men  of  every  profession  can  be 
found. 

As  a  fisherman,  the  Tagal  excels,  and  the  broad  expanse 
of  Manila  Bay,  some  700  square  miles  in  area,  gives  ample 
scope  for  his  ingenuity.  He  practises  every  kind  of  fishing 
Corrales  de  Pesca,  or  fish-stakes  within  the  five-fathom  line, 
casting  nets  and  seines  in  the  shallow  water,  huge  sinking 
nets  attached  to  bamboo  shear-legs  mounted  on  rafts  in  the 
estuaries,  drift  nets  and  line-fishing  in  the  deeper  parts  of 
the  bay. 

From  Tondo,  from  Paranaque,  Las  Pinas,  Bacoor,  and 
Cavite  Viejo,  and  from  dozens  of  other  villages,  go  hundreds 
of  large  canoes,  crowded  with  men,  and  heaped  up  with 
nets,  to  fish  near  the  San  Nicolas  Bank,  or  about  Corregidor 
Island,  and  they  often  return  with  large  catches.  Some 
fish  by  night,  with  torch  and  spear  ;  in  fact,  they  seem  to 
be  quite  at  home  at  any  kind  of  fishing. 

The  nets  and  sails  of  the  canoes,  and  the  clothes  of  the 


TAGALS:    AS  FISHERMEN  225 

fishermen,  are  all   tanned   by  them  with  the  bark  of  the 
camanchile  tree. 

The  salting,  drying,  or  smoking  of  the  fish  caught  in 
the  bay  is  quite  an  extensive  business.  The  smoked 
sardines,  or  tmapd,  are  very  tasty,  as  also  the  pickled 
mullet  roes  caW&d  B agon  de  Lisa.  But  the  small  shrimps 
fermented  in  a  jar,  and  brought  to  a  particular  stage  of 
putrefaction,*  much  appreciated  by  the  natives,  will  not 
suit  European  or  American  tastes. 

The  vast  Bay  of  Manila  holds  fish  and  mammals  of  all 
sorts  and  sizes,  from  small  fry  to  that  huge  but  harmless 
monster  of  the  deep,  RJiinodo7i  tipicus,  with  a  mouth  like 
the  opening  of  a  hansom  cab,  scooping  in  jelly-fish  by  the 
bushel. 

The  peje-rey,  like  a  smelt,  the  lenguado,  or  sole,  the 
li'sa,  or  mullet,  the  bacoco,  corbina,  pampano,  and  others 
whose  names  I  have  forgotten,  are  excellent.  The  oysters 
are  good,  but  very  small.  Prawns  are  excellent,  large  and 
cheap.  Crabs  are  good,  but  large  ones  are  not  plentiful. 
Clawless  lobsters  are  caught  amongst  the  rocks  of  Corre- 
gidor  and  Mariveles.  The  largest  turtle  I  have  ever  seen 
was  caught  off  Malabon.  It  can  be  seen  in  the  Jesuits' 
Museum,  Manila. 

Sharks  of  all  sorts,  enormous  saw-fish, f  hideous  devil- 
fish,:!: and  monstrous  conger  eels,  as  well  as  poisonous  black 
and  yellow  sea-snakes,  abound,  so  that  the  fisherman  does 
not  have  everything  his  own  way.  Amongst  these  men 
are  to  be  found  some  excellent  divers.  I  have  found  them 
quite  able  to  go  down  to  the  keel  of  a  large  ship  and  report 
whether  any  damage  has  been  done.  Where  a  sheet  of 
copper  has  been  torn  off,  they  have  nailed  on  a  new  sheet, 
getting  in  two  or  three  nails  every  time  they  went  down.  I 
enquired  from  one  of  these  men  who  had  frequently  dived 
for  me,  when  a  European  diver  with  diving-gear  could  not 
be  obtained,  if  he  was  not  afraid  of  sharks  .''  He  answered, 
"  No  es  hora  del  tiburon  " — it  is  not  the  sharks'  time — and 
I  found  he  considered  that  he  was  very  fairly  safe  from  the 
sharks  between  ten  and  four.  Before  ten  and  after  four 
was  a  dangerous  time,  as  the  sharks  were  on  the  look-out 
for  a  meal.  I  cannot  say  that  I  should  like  to  trust  to  this, 
especially  as  I  have  seen  sharks  about  at  other  times,  and 
one   afternoon,  in   the   bay,  had   to   keep  off  a  hammer- 

*  The  Blachang  of  the  Malays.  f  Pristiophoridce. 

X  Raiida;. 


226      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

headed-shark  from  coming  near  a  British  diver  who  was 
examining  the  rudder  of  a  steamer,  by  firing  at  it  from  the 
stern.  Some  sharks  are  heavy  and  slow-moving  creatures, 
but  the  hammer-headed  kind  are  endowed  with  a  surprising 
activity,  and  twist  and  turn  like  an  eel. 

My  native  diver  informed  me  that  he  was  much  more 
afraid  of  the  Manta  than  of  any  shark,  and  that  once  when 
he  was  diving  for  some  purpose — I  do  not  recollect  when — 
at  the  bottom  a  shade  fell  on  him,  and,  on  looking  up,  he 
beheld  an  enormous  manta  right  above  him — in  his  words, 
"  as  big  as  a  lighter."  However,  it  passed  on,  and  he  was 
able  to  regain  the  surface. 

Perhaps-  the  most  remarkable  talent  possessed  by  the 
Tagal  is  his  gift  for  instmmental  music. 

Each  parish  has  its  brass  band  supplied  with  European 
instruments,  the  musicians  generally  wearing  a  quasi- 
military  uniform.  If  the  village  is  a  rich  one,  there  is 
usually  a  string  band  as  well.  They  play  excellently,  as 
do  the  military  bands.  Each  infantry  battalion  had  its 
band,  whilst  that  of  the  Peninsular  Artillery,  of  ninety 
performers,  under  a  band-master  holding  the  rank  of 
lieutenant,  was  one  of  the  finest  bands  I  have  ever  heard. 
There  were  few  countries  where  more  music  could  be  heard 
gratis  than  in  the  Philippines,  and  for  private  dances  these 
bands  could  be  hired  at  moderate  rates. 

The  Tagal  is  also  a  good  agriculturist.  According  to 
his  lights,  he  cultivates  paddy  with  great  care.  It  is  all 
raised  in  seed-plots,  the  soil  of  which  is  carefully  prepared, 
and  fenced  about.  The  fields  are  ploughed  and  harrowed 
whilst  covered  with  water,  so  that  the  surface  is  reduced  to 
soft  mud.  When  the  ground  is  ready  for  planting,  the 
whole  population  turns  out,  and,  being  supplied  with  the 
young  shoots  in  bundles,  of  which  tally  is  kept,  proceed  to 
plant  each  individual  shoot  of  paddy  by  hand. 

Ankle-deep  in  the  soft  mud  of  the  paddy-fields  stand 
long  rows  of  bare-legged  men,  women  and  children,  each 
in  a  stooping  position,  holding  against  the  body  with  the 
left  hand  a  large  bundle  of  rice-plants,  incessantly  and 
rapidly  seizing  a  shoot  with  the  right  hand,  and  plunging 
it  into  the  black  slime  with  the  forefinger  extended. 

Hour  after  hour  the  patient  toil  goes  on,  and  day  after 
day,  in  all  the  glare  of  the  burning  sun,  reflected  and 
intensified  from  the  surface  of  the  black  water,  till  the  whole 
vast  surface   has  been   planted.     The  inatandang-sa-7iayay 


-w^  '■ 


f^*'»<t 


5?&i'%.  *  .  ft-    v^r^'    ^ta 


TAGALS:   AS   CULTIVATORS  227 

or  village  elder,  then  announces  how  many  millions  of  rice 
shoots  have  been  put  in.  The  labour  is  most  exhausting, 
from  the  stooping  position,  which  is  obligatory,  and  because 
the  eyes  become  inflamed  from  the  reflection  of  the  sun  on 
the  black  water.  As  the  paddy  is  planted  during  the  rainy 
season,  it  often  happens  that  the  work  is  done  under  a 
tropical  downpour  instead  of  a  blazing  sun. 

When  driving  along  a  road  through  paddy-fields  in 
October,  it  seems  incredible  that  every  blade  of  that 
luxuriant  crop  has  been  transplanted  by  hand.  Yet  the 
people  who  do  this  are  branded  as  lazy.  I  think  that  they 
are  quite  ready  to  work  for  a  sufficient  inducement.  When- 
ever I  had  works  to  execute  I  never  experienced  any 
difficulty  in  obtaining  men.  I  made  it  a  rule  to  pay  every 
man  with  my  own  hands  every  Saturday  his  full  wages 
without  deductions.  On  Monday  morning,  if  I  wanted 
300  men,  there  would  be  500  to  pick  and  choose  from.  I 
should  like  to  see  some  of  their  depreciators  try  an  hour's 
work  planting  paddy,  or  poling  a  casco  up  stream. 

The  undulating  nature  of  the  ground  renders  it  neces- 
sary to  divide  paddy  land  into  small  plots  of  irregular 
outline  at  varying  levels,  divided  from  each  other  by  ridges 
of  earth  called  pildpiles,  so  as  to  retain  the  rain  or  irrigation 
water,  allowing  it  to  descend  slowly  from  level  to  level  till 
it  reaches  its  outlet  at  the  lowest  point.  The  Tagals  fully 
justify  their  Turanian  origin  by  the  skill  and  care  which 
they  show  in  irrigation.  About  Manila,  the  sacdte,  or 
meadow-grass,  which  is  the  principal  food  of  the  thousands 
of  ponies  in  the  city,  is  cultivated  on  lands  which  are  exactly 
at  a  level  to  be  flooded  by  the  spring-tides. 

The  mango-tree  is  carefully  cultivated,  and  the  fruit  is, 
to  some  extent,  forced  by  lighting  fires  of  leaves  and  twigs 
under  these  trees  every  evening  in  the  early  part  of  the 
year  to  drive  off  insects,  and  give  additional  warmth. 

In  Batangas  and  La  Luguna,  and,  to  some  extent,  in 
Bulacan,  the  Tagals  cultivate  the  sugar-cane  successfully. 

But  where  they  really  shine,  where  all  their  care  is 
lavished,  where  nothing  is  too  much  trouble,  is  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  buyo  (Piper  betel).  This  is  a  climbing 
plant,  and  is  grown  on  sticks  like  hops.  There  were  many 
plantations  of  this  near  Pineda,  which  I  frequently  visited. 
It  is  grown  in  small  fields,  enclosed  by  hedges  or  by  rows 
of  trees  to  keep  off"  the  wind. 

The  soil  is  carefully  prepared,  and  all  weeds  removed. 

Q  2 


228      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 


As  the  tendrils  grow  up,  the  sticks  are  placed  for  them. 
The  plants  arc  watered  by  hand,  and  leaf  by  leaf  carefully 
examined  every  morning  to  remove  all  caterpillars  or  other 
insects.  The  plants  are  protected  from  the  glare  of  the  sun 
by  mat-shades  supported  on  bamboos. 

The  ripe  leaves  are  gathered  fresh  every  morning,  and 
taken  to  market,  where  they  find  a  ready  sale  at  remunera- 
tive prices  for  chewing  with  the  areca  nut,  and  a  pinch  of 
slaked  shell  lime. 

Whenever  I  have  had  Tagal  hunters  with  me  deer- 
shooting,  I  have  been  struck  with  their  knowledge  of  the 
natural  history  of  their  locality.  They  thoroughly  under- 
stood the  habits  of  the  game,  and  almost  always  foretold 
correctly  the  direction  from  which  the  deer  would  approach 
the  guns. 

They  have  names  for  every  animal  and  bird,  and  for 
the  different  ages  or  conditions,  or  size  of  antlers,  of  the 
deer. 

Even  insects  and  reptiles  are  named  by  them  ;  they 
could  give  details  of  their  habits,  and  knew  whether  they 
were  poisonous  or  dangerous. 

They  always  showed  themselves  greatly  interested  in 
sport,  and  much  appreciated  a  good  shot.  They  spoke  of 
a  gun  that  killed  well  as  a  hot  gun  (baril  mai'nit).  If  they 
were  trusted  with  a  gun  they  were  very  reluctant  to  spend 
a  cartridge  unless  for  a  dead  certainty.  If  two  cartridges 
are  given  to  a  hunter,  he  will  bring  in  two  deer  or  pigs, 
otherwise  he  will  apologise  for  wasting  a  cartridge,  and 
explain  how  it  happened. 

Their  usual  way  of  taking  game  is  to  set  strong  nets  of 
abaca  in  the  woods  in  the  form  of  a  V,  then  the  beaters  and 
dogs  drive  the  game  towards  the  hunters,  who  are  concealed 
near  the  apex,  and  who  kill  the  deer  or  wild  pigs  with  their 
lances  whilst  entangled  in  the  nets. 

I  have  found  the  Tagals  very  satisfactory  as  domestic 
servants,  although  not  so  hard-working  as  the  Ilocanos. 
Some  of  them  could  clean  glass  or  plate  as  well  as  an 
English  butler,  and  could  lay  the  table  for  a  dinner  party 
and  ornament  tastefully  with  flowers  and  ferns,  folding  the 
napkins  like  a  Parisian  waiter. 

They  could  also  write  out  the  in^tiu  (their  orthography 
having  been  previously  corrected),  and  serve  the  dinner  and 
wines  in  due  sequence  without  requiring  any  directions 
durinsr  the  meal. 


[  /'()  /ace  p.   229. 
PAULINO    MORILLO.    A    TAGAL    OF    LACUNA. 
BUTLER    TO    THE    AUTHOR. 


TAGALS:    AS  DEBTORS  229 


Some  of  them  remained  in  my  service  the  whole  time  I 
was  in  the  Philippines  ;  one  of  them,  Paulino  Morillo,  came 
to  England  with  me  in  charge  of  my  two  sons,  and  after- 
wards made  three  voyages  to  Cuba  with  me.  I  gratefully 
acknowledge  his  faithful  service.     His  portrait  is  appended. 

I  did  not  find  them  sufficiently  punctual  and  regular  as 
cooks,  nor  did  they  make  their  purchases  in  the  market  to 
as  much  advantage  as  the  Chinese  cooks,  who  never  bid 
one  against  another  to  raise  the  price. 

As  clerks  and  store-keepers  I  found  the  Tagals  honest, 
assiduous,  and  well-behaved.  As  draughtsmen  they  were 
fairly  skilful  in  drawing  from  hand  sketches,  and  excelled 
in  copying  or  tracing,  but  were  quite  untrustworthy  in 
taking  out  quantities  and  computing.  Some  of  them  could 
write  beautiful  headings,  or  design  ornamental  title-pages. 
I  have  by  me  some  of  their  work  that  could  not  be  done 
better  even  in  Germany  or  France.  But  the  more  skilful 
they  were  the  more  irregular  was  their  attendance,  and  the 
more  they  had  learned  the  worse  they  behaved. 

When  doing  business  with  the  Tagals,  I  found  that  the 
elder  men  could  be  trusted.  If  I  gave  them  credit,  which 
was  often  the  case,  for  one  or  two  years,  I  could  depend 
upon  the  money  being  paid  when  due,  unless  some  calamity 
such  as  a  flood  or  a  conflagration  had  rendered  it  absolutely 
impossible  for  them  to  find  the  cash.  In  such  a  case  (which 
seldom  happened)  they  would  advise  me  beforehand,  and 
perhaps  bring  a  portion  of  the  money,  giving  a  pagart\ 
bearing  interest,  for  the  remainder,  and  never  by  any 
possibility  denying  the  debt.  I  never  made  a  bad  debt 
amongst  them,  and  gladly  testify  to  their  punctilious  honesty. 
This  idea  of  the  sacredness  of  an  obligation  seems  to  prevail 
amongst  many  of  the  Malay  races,  even  among  the  pagan 
savages,  as  I  had  occasion  to  observe  when  I  visited  the 
Tagbaniias  in  Palawan  (Paragua).  They  certainly  did  not 
learn  this  from  the  Spaniards. 

The  More  Instrnction  the  less  Honesty. 

When  dealing  with  the  younger  men  who  had  been 
educated  in  Manila,  in  Hong  Kong,  or  even  in  Europe,  I 
found  that  this  idea  had  been  eradicated  from  them,  and 
that  no  sufficient  sense  of  honour  had  been  implanted  in 
its  stead. 

In  fact,  I   may  say   that,  whilst   the   unlettered   agri- 


230      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


culturist,  with  his  old-fashioned  dress,  and  quiet,  dignified 
manner,  inspired  me  with  the  respect  due  to  an  honest  and 
worthy  man,  the  feeling  evolved  from  a  discussion  with  the 
younger  and  educated  men,  dressed  in  European  clothes, 
who  had  been  pupils  in  the  Ateneo  Municipal,  or  in  Santo 
Tomas,  was  less  favourable,  and  it  became  evident  to  mc 
that,  although  they  might  be  more  instructed  than  their 
fathers,  they  were  morally  below  them.  Either  their 
moral  training  had  been  deficient,  or  their  natures  are 
not  improved  by  education,  I  usually  preferred  to  do 
business  with  them  on  a  cash  basis, 

Uftsuitable  Training. 

Dare  I,  at  the  tail-end  of  the  nineteenth  century,  in  the 
days  of  Board  Schools,  County  Councils,  conscientious  ob- 
jectors, and  Hooligans,  venture  to  recall  to  mind  a  saying 
of  that  grand  old  Conservative,  the  Peruvian  Solomon, 
Tupac  Inca  Yupanqui  ?  "  Science  should  only  be  taught 
to  those  of  generous  blood,  for  the  meaner  sort  are  only 
puffed  up,  and  rendered  vain  and  arrogant  by  it.  Neither 
should  such  mingle  in  the  affairs  of  state,  for  by  that  means 
high  offices  are  brought  into  disrepute,"  * 

That  great  monarch's  words  exactly  express  my  con- 
clusions about  the  young  Tagals  and  other  natives. 

To  take  a  young  native  lad  away  from  his  parents,  to 
place  him  in  a  corrupted  capital  like  Manila,  and  to  cram 
him  with  the  intricacies  of  Spanish  law,  while  there  is 
probably,  not  in  all  those  who  surround  him,  one  single 
honest  and  upright  man  he  can  look  up  to  for  guidance  and 
example,  is  to  deprive  him  of  whatever  principles  of  action 
he  may  once  have  possessed,  whilst  giving  him  no  guide 
for  his  future  conduct. 

He  acquires  the  European  vices  without  the  virtues  ; 
loses  his  native  modesty  and  self-respect,  and  develops  too 
often  into  a  contemptible //V^r-//^//^,  or  pettifogger,  instead 
of  becoming  an  honest  farmer. 

The  more  educated  Tagals  are  fond  of  litigation,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  native  or  half-caste  lawyers  will  carry 
on  the  most  frivolous  and  vexatious  lawsuit  with  every 
artifice  that  cunning  and  utter  unscrupulousness  can  suggest. 
The  corrupt  nature  of  the  Spanish  courts  is  a  mainstay  to 

*  '  Comentarios  Rdales.'    Garcilasso  Inca  de  la  Vega. 


TAGALS:    THEIR   CREDULITY  231 

such  people.  Although  they  may  be  possessed  of  ample 
means  litigants  often  obtain  from  the  court  permission  to 
sue  a  foreigner  m.  forma  pauperis. 

They  are  unscrupulous  about  evidence,  and  many  will 
perjure  themselves  or  bring  false  witnesses  without  shame. 
It  is  said  that  blank  stamped  paper  of  any  year  can  be 
obtained  for  a  sufficient  price  for  the  purpose  of  forging 
documents  relating  to  the  sale  of  land  ;  as  there  are  people 
who  regularly  keep  it  for  this  purpose. 

The  feeling  of  envy  is  strong  within  them,  and  any 
Spaniard  or  foreigner  who  appears  to  be  succeeding  in  an 
industrial  enterprise  in  the  provinces,  such  as  planting  or 
mining,  is  sure,  sooner  or  later,  to  be  attacked  by  the  petti- 
foggers or  their  men  of  straw,  and  he  will  be  bled  heavily 
when  he  comes  before  the  courts,  and  perhaps  have  to  go 
to  the  Court  of  Appeal  or  even  to  the  Tribunal  Supremo 
in  Madrid  before  he  can  obtain  a  verdict  in  his  favour. 

The  credulity  of  the  Tagal  is  remarkable  ;  he  has  on 
occasion  given  way  to  outbursts  of  ferocity,  involving  death 
and  destruction  to  numbers  of  innocent  people. 

In  1820,  during  an  epidemic  of  cholera,  he  was  led  to 
believe  that  this  strange  sickness  had  been  produced  by  the 
foreigners,  who  had  poisoned  the  water.  An  indiscriminate 
massacre  of  foreigners  was  the  consequence  of  this  calumny, 
and  but  few  escaped.  The  authorities,  always  prompt  to 
repress  uprisings  against  the  Government,  allowed  time  for 
the  foreigners  to  be  massacred  before  they  interfered.  It 
is  not  easy  to  say  how  many  English,  French,  or  Americans 
met  their  deaths  at  the  hands  of  the  populace,  for  such 
details  are  never  allowed  to  be  published. 

I  may  say,  however,  that  one  should  not  be  too  hard  on 
the  Tagals  for  this  crime,  since  at  a  much  later  date  a 
massacre  of  priests  occurred  in  Madrid,  on  account  of  a 
similar  belief  It  was  started  because  a  lad,  the  servant  of 
a  priest,  was  seen  to  throw  some  white  powder  into  the 
Fuente  Castellana.  I  have  not  at  hand  the  details  of  this 
massacre,  but  the  friars  were  slaughtered  like  pigs. 

In  the  dreadful  epidemic  of  cholera  in  1882,  the  natives 
behaved  very  well,  and  I  must  give  General  Primo  de 
Rivera  credit  for  keeping  strict  order  and  promptly 
organising  the  construction  of  temporary  hospitals,  the 
inspection  of  every  parish  of  the  city,  the  conveyance  of 
the  sick  to  hospital,  and  the  burial  of  the  dead.  It  was 
done  under  military  direction,  and  with  the  assistance  of  the 


232      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

priests,  the  civil  authorities,  and  the  principal  inhabitants. 
No  disturbances  occurred  owing  to  the  strong  hand  of 
the  Governor-General,  although  some  of  the  evil-disposed 
natives  began  to  murmur  about  the  doctors  carrying  about 
the  disease. 

The  mortality  was  dreadful ;  I  believe  that  some  30,000 
people  lost  their  lives  in  the  city  and  province  of  Manila  in 
three  or  four  months.  In  order  to  nurse  the  sick  and  bury 
the  vast  number  of  dead,  it  was  necessary  to  employ  the 
convicts  and  prisoners.  All  these  people  behaved  remark- 
ably well,  although  many  succumbed  to  the  disease.  The 
survivors  were  pardoned  outright,  or  had  their  sentences 
reduced.  If  the  Governor-General  had  shown  signs  of 
weakness,  the  horrors  of  1820  might  have  been  repeated. 

To  give  a  better  idea  of  the  credulity  of  the  Tagals  and 
other  natives,  I  may  say  that  in  1868  telegrams  were 
received  in  Manila  {ind  Hong  Kong),  which  were  made 
public  in  the  islands,  announcing  the  Spanish  revolution  of 
September,  and  the  news,  with  stupendous  exaggerations, 
reached  the  remotest  villages  and  the  most  miserable  huts. 
A  general  and  indelible  idea  took  possession  of  the  minds 
of  the  natives  that  Revolution  (they  thought  it  was  a  new 
emperor  or  a  great  personage)  had  decreed  that  all  were 
equal,  that  there  should  be  no  difference  between  Indians 
and  Spaniards,  that  the  latter  had  to  return  to  Spain  and 
Indians  be  substituted  in  all  employments,  and  that  the 
tribute  would  be  greatly  reduced.  That  there  would  be  no 
conscription  nor  corvee  (personal  work),  that  the  Pope  would 
name  several  Indian  bishops,  and  that  the  Spanish  priests 
would  return  to  the  Peninsula.  That  a  new  captain-general 
would  arrive  who  would  marry  a  native  lady,  who  would  be 
made  a  princess,  that  their  children  would  be  kings  and 
sovereigns  of  the  Philippine  Empire. 

All  this  was  confirmed  by  prophecies,  by  dreams,  and 
revelations,  and  great  miracles  by  the  Virgin  of  Antipolo  and 
of  St.  Joseph,  and  other  patrons  of  the  Indies,  not  omitting 
St.  Peter,  for  whom  the  native  clergy  profess  a  profound 
veneration,  and  who  is  the  patron  saint  of  a  brotherhood 
which  has  caused  much  trouble  in  the  Philippines. 

General  Gandara,  informed  of  all  these  absurdities  by 
the  friars,  did  not  fail  to  apypreciate  the  immense  importance 
of  the  movement  which,  like  the  teachings  of  the  so-called 
gods  of  Panay  and  Samar  who  collected  thousands  of 
followers,  might  produce  a  general  insurrection.     He  there- 


TAGALS:    AMUSEMENTS  233 

fore  took  due  precautions,  and  invited  all  the  Spaniards  in 
the  Philippines,  without  distinction  of  party,  in  support  of 
the  Government  constituted  in  Spain.  There  was,  however, 
much  agitation  and  much  travelling  to  and  fro  amongst  the 
native  clergy  and  the  pettifogging  lawyers.  It  was,  how- 
ever, not  till  1872  that  the  conspirators  succeeded  in  pro- 
ducing the  mutiny  of  Cavite,  which  was  quickly  suppressed, 
with  much  slaughter  of  the  mutineers. 

The  chief  amusement  of  the  Tagal  is  cock-fighting.  I 
shall  not  describe  this  well-known  sport,  but  will  remark 
that  it  provides  no  inconsiderable  revenue.  The  right  of 
building  and  running  the  cock-pits  of  each  province  is 
farmed  out  to  Chinese  or  Chinese  half-breeds,  and  no 
combats  may  take  place  except  in  these  places.  They  are 
opened  after  Mass  on  Sundays  and  feast-days,  and  on  some 
other  days  by  special  leave  from  the  authorities.  The  love 
of  this  sport  and  the  hope  of  gain  is  so  general  that  the 
majority  of  the  natives  of  Manila  are  breeders  of  game- 
cocks, which  they  tend  with  assiduous  care,  and  artisans 
often  carry  their  favourite  birds  to  their  work  and  tether 
them  in  the  shade,  where  they  can  keep  them  in  view. 
Horse-fights  occasionally  take  place.  The  ponies  of  the 
Philippines,  although  not  usually  vicious  to  man,  will 
fight  savagely  with  each  other,  and  inflict  severe  bites.  I 
remember  a  case  where  two  ponies  harnessed  to  a  victoria 
began  fighting  and  a  Guardia  Civil  attempted  to  separate 
them,  when  one  of  the  ponies  seized  him  by  the  thigh, 
lifted  him  off  his  feet,  and  shook  him  as  a  terrier  might 
shake  a  rat ;  the  flesh  of  the  man's  thigh  was  torn  away 
and  the  bone  left  bare.  This  dreadful  wound  caused  his 
death.  The  occurrence  took  place  in  front  of  the  church  of 
Binondo  in  Manila.  Bull  fights  have  been  an  utter  failure 
in  Manila,  although  many  attempts  have  been  made  to 
establish  them.  Plying  kites  is  a  great  amusement  with 
young  and  old  in  the  early  months  of  the  year,  when  the 
N.E.  monsoon  blows.  Fights  are  organised  :  the  competing 
kites  have  crescent-shaped  pieces  of  steel  attached  to  the 
tails,  and  the  competitor  who  can  cut  the  string  of  his 
opponent's  kite  by  causing  his  own  to  swoop  suddenly 
across  it,  is  the  winner.  Betting  on  the  result  is  common. 
The  Tagals  are  also  fond  of  the  theatre,  and  some  years 
ago  there  was  a  Tagal  theatre  in  Binondo  where  comedies 
in  that  language  were  played.  I  have  also  met  strolling 
players  in  the  country  towns. 


234      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


But  of  all  kinds  of  shows  a  good  circus  is  the  one  that 
fetches  his  last  dollar  out  of  the  Tagal.  Guiseppc  Chiarini 
reaped  a  silver  harvest  in  Manila  on  both  occasions  he 
pitched  his  tents  there.  His  advance  agent,  Maya,  a 
Chilian,  paved  the  way  for  success,  and  the  pompous 
announcement  that  Chiarini  was  born  in  the  sacred  city 
of  Rome,  greatly  impressed  the  natives,  who  flocked  in 
thousands  to  his  circus.  Chiarini  considered  himself  able 
to  tame  the  most  vicious  horse,  and  purchased  a  fine  Manila 
pony  that  no  one  could  manage.  The  beast,  however,  was 
not  subdued  by  his  powers,  and,  seizing  the  tamer's  cheek, 
bit  off  a  large  piece. 

On  feast  days  in  the  larger  towns,  open-air  plays  are 
sometimes  given,  and  what  with  preparations,  rehearsals, 
and  performance,  absorb  the  attention  of  a  large  number  of 
the  inhabitants  for  a  couple  of  months.  I  witnessed  a  very 
notable  performance  of  this  kind  some  years  ago  at  Balayan 
in  the  province  of  Batangas,  the  characters  being  played  by 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  principal  people  there.  The 
subject  was  taken  from  the  '  Wars  of  Grenada.'  In  the 
first  act  we  saw  a  Christian  king  and  his  court,  also  his  only 
and  peerless  daughter.  After  these  had  had  their  say,  an 
ambassador  from  the  Moslem  king  was  announced,  and  the 
king  summoned  his  council  to  consider  the  communication. 
He  took  his  seat  upon  the  throne,  with  grey-bearded  coun- 
cillors on  each  side.  The  Moslem  envoy,  and  his  suite  and 
escort,  entered  on  horseback  and  very  unnecessarily  galloped 
about  and  gave  an  exhibition  of  their  horsemanship.  Then 
the  envoy,  still  on  horseback,  harangued  the  king,  and 
arrogantly  demanded  the  hand  of  the  beauteous  princess 
for  his  master,  threatening  war  to  the  knife  in  case  of 
refusal.     He  then  retired  to  his  camp. 

Next  came  the  discussion  of  the  demand  which  the 
grey-beards  think  it  hopeless  to  resist.  The  Moslem  envoy 
was  sent  for,  and  amid  great  grief  the  princess  was  about  to 
be  confided  to  his  care,  when  there  rushed  in  a  young 
Christian  warrior  and  his  followers,  who  swore  they  would 
never  allow  a  Christian  princess  to  wed  a  Pa}mim,  and 
dismissed  the  envoy  with  contumelious  remarks.  He  retired 
vowing  vengeance.  All  this  occupied  a  long  time,  and  I 
did  not  remain  for  the  rest.  I  think  it  took  two  days  to 
act.  But  from  the  volleys  of  musketry  and  firing  of  rockets 
and  mortars  which  I  heard,  a  sanguinary  war  must  have 
been  waged  and  many  of  the  characters  must  have  perished. 


TAGAL  LITERATURE  235 


The  play  was  acted  in  a  more  spirited  way  than  usual ; 
some  of  the  male  performers  declaimed  their  parts  with 
energy.  Some  were  mounted  on  fine  ponies,  and  were  well 
got  up  and  armed. 

The  girls'  dresses  were  rich,  and  they  wore  a  great  deal 
of  jewellery.  Some  of  the  princesses  were  very  handsome 
girls.  There  is  a  sort  of  a  superstition  that  any  girl  per- 
forming in  one  of  these  pieces  is  sure  to  be  married  within 
a  year.  This  makes  them  very  ready  to  undertake  a  part, 
as  they  obtain  an  excellent  opportunity  to  display  their 
charms  to  advantage,  and  so  help  to  fulfil  the  prediction. 
The  play  was  witnessed  by  the  mass  of  the  population  of 
Balayan  and  by  numerous  visitors  from  the  neighbouring 
towns.  It  was  considered  a  very  successful  performance, 
and  it  carried  my  memory  over  the  wide  Pacific  to  Peru, 
where  I  have  seen  similar  plays  acted  by  the  country  people 
in  the  Plaza  of  Huacho. 

Tagal  Liter  attire. 

Tagal  literature  does  not  amount  to  very  much,  and  the 
policy  of  the  Government  of  late  years  has  been  to  teach 
Spanish  as  well  as  the  native  dialects  in  the  schools.  This 
did  not  meet  the  approval  of  the  old  school  of  priests  ;  but 
many  of  the  younger  ones  have  accepted  the  Government 
view.  In  the  Exhibition  of  the  Philippines,  Madrid,  1887, 
Don  Vicente  Barrantes  showed  twenty  volumes  of  grammars 
and  vocabularies  of  the  Philippine  dialects,  and  thirty-one 
volumes  of  popular  native  poetry,  besides  two  volumes  of 
native  plays.  The  Reverend  P^ather  Raimundo  Lozano 
exhibited  twenty-eight  volumes  of  religious  works  in  the 
Visayas-Panayano  dialect,  and  the  Reverend  Father  Fran- 
cisco Valdez  a  study  of  the  roots  of  the  Ilocan  dialect  in 
manuscript.  Many  works  in  the  native  dialects  have  been 
written  by  the  Spanish  priests,  such  as  one  by  the  Reverend 
Father  Manuel  Blanco,  the  learned  author  of  the  'Flora 
Filipina,'  of  which  I  give  the  title  and  the  first  verse  : — 

Tagaloc  verses  to  assist  in  dying      "  Manga  dalit  na  Tagalog  at  pag- 
well.  tulong   sa  inamaluatay  na   ta- 

nang  Cristiana." 

Manila,  1867,  VIII.,  62  pag  8"^. 

"  Aba  bumabasa  baquin  baga  caya 
Tila  caniuntima  i  nata  cang  bohala." 


236      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

I  now  give  the  title  of  a  secular  poem  in  English  and 
Tagal,  that  the  reader  may  compare  the  words  and  note  the 
subject : — 

Story  of  the  life  of  the  beauteous  "  Salita  at  buhay  nang  marilang 

shepherdess  Jacobina,  a  native  na.  pastora  na  si  Jacobina  tubo 

of   Moncada,  who  became  the  sa    Villa     Moncada     Naguing 

wife  of  the  King,  Policarpio  de  asdua  nang  Policarpio  de  Villar 

Villar,  in  the  kingdom  of  Dal-  sa    caharian    nang     Dalmacia 

matia,  and  bore  a  son  named  nagga  roon  nang  isang  supligna 

Villardo.  anac  ang  pangaia  i  si  Villardo." 

The  poem  begins — 

"  O  maamong  Ester  mananalong  Judit 
Mariang  linanag  nitong  sang  daigdig." 

and  concludes — 

"  Panang  nang  pupuri  ang  lahat  nang  cabig 
Sa  yanang  inaguling  ang  tinamo  i  sangit." 

I  do  not  think  it  is  necessary  to  quote  any  more,  as  this 
gives  the  reader  sufficient  idea  of  the  language. 

There  is  much  that  is  good  in  the  Tagal,  much  to  like 
and  admire.  Antonio  de  Morga,  Sinibaldo  de  Mas,  Tomas 
de  Comyn,  Paul  de  la  Gironiere,  Jagor,  Bowring,  Palgrave, 
Foreman,  Stevens,  Worcester — all  have  some  good  to  say 
of  him,  and  with  reason.  But  the  piratical  blood  is  strong 
in  him  yet.  He  requires  restraint  and  guidance  from  those 
who  have  a  higher  standard  for  their  actions  than  he  has. 
Left  to  himself  he  would  infallibly  relapse  into  savagery. 
At  the  same  time  he  will  not  be  governed  by  brute  force, 
and  under  oppression  or  contumelious  treatment  he  would 
abandon  the  plains,  retire  to  the  mountains,  and  lead  a 
predatory  life.  Although  not  just  himself  nor  truthful,  he 
can  recognise  and  revere  truth  and  justice  in  a  master  or 
governor.  Courageous  himself,  only  a  courageous  man 
can  win  his  respect.  He  is  grateful,*  and  whoever  can 
secure  his  reverence  and  gratitude  will  have  no  trouble  in 
leading  him. 

I  have  testified  to  the  Tagal's  excellence  in  many 
handicrafts  and  callings,  yet  I  greatly  doubt  whether  they 
have  the  mental  and  moral  equipment  for  any  of  the  pro- 

*  Some  ridiculous  person  has  stated  in  a  magazine  article  that 
they  have  no  word  in  Tagal  equivalent  to  Thank  you.  This  is  not 
true,  for  the  word  Salamat  is  the  exact  equivalent. 


TAGALS:    SOME  CHARACTERISTICS  237 

fessions.  I  should  not  like  to  place  my  affairs  in  the  hands 
of  a  Tagal  lawyer,  to  trust  my  life  in  the  hands  of  a  Tagal 
doctor,  nor  to  purchase  an  estate  on  the  faith  of  a  Tagal 
surveyor's  measurement. 

I  do  not  say  that  they  are  all  untrustworthy,  nor  that 
they  can  never  become  fit  for  the  higher  callings,  but 
they  are  not  fit  for  them  now,  and  it  will  take  a  long  time, 
and  a  completely  changed  system  of  education,  before  they 
can  become  fit. 

What  they  want  are  examples  of  a  high  type  of  honour 
and  morality  that  they  could  look  up  to  and  strive  to 
imitate.  There  are  such  men  in  America.  Whether 
they  will  be  sent  to  the  Philippines  is  best  known  to 
Mr.  McKinley. 


238      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

Panipangos  (2). 

The  Pampangos  are  close  neighbours  of  the  Tagals.  They 
inhabit  the  rich  and  fertile  province  of  Pampanga  and  a 
large  part  of  that  of  Tarlac.  There  are  also  some  detached 
colonies  of  them  in  the  towns  of  Bataan,  Nueva  Ecija,  Pan- 
gasinan,  and  Zambales.  The  population  of  Pampanga  is 
given  in  the  census  of  1876  as  226,000.  Allowing  one-half 
the  population  of  Tarlac  to  belong  to  this  race,  we  have  to 
add  41,000,  and  supposing  one-tenth  the  population  of 
Bataan,  Nueva  Ecija,  and  Zambales,  to  be  Pampangos,  say 
27,000,  we  get  294,000  as  their  number  in  1876.  Doubtless 
they  have  largely  increased  since  then.  The  Pampangos 
speak  a  different  language  from  the  Tagals,  yet  they  can 
understand  each  other  to  some  extent.  Many  of  the  better 
class  speak  both  languages.  The  Pampango  does  not 
greatly  differ  from  the  Tagal  in  appearance  or  character, 
but  his  environment  and  his  occupations  are  different.  He 
is  not  so  much  a  sailor,  a  fisherman,  or  a  mechanic.  He 
excels  in  agriculture,  is  a  good  organiser  of  labour,  rides 
well,  is  a  good  hunter,  and  makes  a  bold  and  determined 
soldier.  Large  numbers  of  this  war-like  race  have  fought 
under  the  Spanish  flag  against  the  Mahometan  princes  of 
the  Moluccas,  of  Mindanao,  and  Sulu,  as  also  against  the 
British  and  the  Dutch. 

Pampangos  as  Cultivators. 

The  towns  of  San  Fernando,  Guagua  Bacolor,  Mexico, 
Angeles,  Candaba,  and  many  others  have  been  built  up  by 
Pampanga  industry.  They  contain  many  fine  houses, 
where  the  European  traveller  is  sure  of  a  hospitable 
reception. 

The   staple   crop   of  Pampanga   is   sugar,  and  I  shall 


PAMPANGOS:    AS   CULTIVATORS  239 

explain  their  organisation  for  its  cultivation  and  manu- 
facture. 

In  Luzon  the  land  is  usually  cultivated  under  an 
arrangement  known  as  Aparceria. 

The  conditions  of  Aparceria  vary  according  to  the 
locality,  and  to  established  custom,  since  on  the  land  near 
a  town  a  smaller  share  is  given  to  the  cultivator  than  on 
land  near  the  forests,  where  if  he  were  not  satisfied  he 
might  commence  to  clear  land  for  himself  Also  the  land 
near  the  towns  is  more  valuable  than  that  at  a  distance  for 
various  reasons. 

The  following  is  an  example  of  the  terms  usual  in 
Pampanga.     The  land-owner  provides  : 

A.  Cleared  land  ready  for  the  plough. 

B.  Sugar-cane  points  for  the  first  planting. 

C.  Sugar-mill,  boiling-pans  and  the  building  for  same, 

D.  Money   advances   to   keep   the  cultivator  and   his 

family,  and  for  taking  off  the  crop. 

E.  Carts  for  carrjang  the  cane  to  the  mill. 

The  cultivator,  or  inquilino,  provides  : 

1.  His  labour  and  that   of  his  family  for  ploughing, 

planting  and  cultivating  the  cane  and  fencing  the 
plantations. 

2.  The  ploughs  and  implements  of  husbandry. 

3.  The  cattle  (water  buffaloes)  for  the  above  labours 

and  for  working  the  mill  if  it  is  a  cattle  mill. 

The  money  advanced  to  the  cultivator  by  the  land-owner 
is  charged  20  per  cent,  per  annum  interest. 

For  a  daily  task  of  9  pilones  from  cattle-mills  or  10 
pilones  from  steam-mills  there  are  employed  : 

2  Labourers  to  cut  cane  at  25  cents  and  food  .  •  50  cents. 

1  Carter  ,,  ,,        .  -25 

2  Mill  attendants  „  „  .  '50 
Sugar  boiler  and  fireman  „  .  -75 
1  Megass  carrier                                          „         .  '25 

Mexican  dollars       .         .         .         .       2*25 
Or  25  cents  per  pilon. 


240      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Sugar   Crop. 

The  land-owner  pays  the  men's  wages,  c  nd  the  cultivator 
gives  them  three  meals  a  day  and  cigars. 

The  sugar-moulds  (pilones)  cost  about  \2\  cents  each, 
and  the  cost  is  divided  between  the  parties. 

In  making  up  the  account,  6\  per  cent,  per  annum  is 
charged  on  the  value  of  the  land,  machinery  and  building. 

The  molasses  which  drains  from  the  sugar  belongs  to 
the  land-owner. 

These  pilones  are  supposed  to  contain  140  lbs.  of  sugar 
when  filled.  They  are  placed  upon  a  small  pot  to  allow  the 
molasses  to  drain  off.  When  delivered  their  weight  may 
be  from  112  to  120  lbs.  according  to  the  time  they  have 
been  draining.  This  sugar  polarises  about  80  per  cent, 
according  to  circumstances  and  requires  to  be  treated  at 
the  farderias  in  Manila  to  bring  it  up  to  an  even  sample 
before  it  is  exported.  The  sugar  loaves  are  cut  up,  sorted, 
crushed,  mixed  with  other  sugars,  sun-dried,  and  a  certain 
quantity  of  sand  added  before  being  put  into  bags  for 
export  as  Manila  Siigar,  usually  No.  7  or  No.  9  Dutch 
standard.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  figures  how 
moderate  the  expenses  are.  Of  course  each  land-owner  has 
a  number  of  cultivators,  and  often  a  number  of  mills. 

Notwithstanding  the  low  price  of  sugar  which  has 
prevailed  for  many  years,  the  provinces  of  Pampanga  has 
made  money  out  of  it  as  the  handsome  houses  of  the  land- 
owners in  all  their  towns  testify. 

The  sugar  crop  in  Pampanga  has  never  quite  reached  a 
million  pilones,  but  has  exceeded  nine  hundred  thousand, 
say  from  fifty  to  sixty  thousand  English  tons.  The  cane 
is  crushed  in  small  steam  or  cattle  mills  having  three 
horizontal  rollers. 

These  mills  are  mostly  made  in  Glasgow  and  have  now 
in  Pampanga  entirely  superseded  the  Chinese  mills  with 
vertical  rollers  of  granite  or  the  native  mills  with  vertical 
rollers  of  hard  wood.* 

In  former  years  I  pointed  out,  in  a  report  written  for 
General  Jovellar,  what  a  great  advantage  it  would  be  to 
Pampanga  if  the  planters  would  abandon  the  use  of  pilones 

*  The  roller  pinions  in  both  Chinese  and  native  mills  are  of 
hard  wood. 


PAMPANGOS:    AS    FISHERMEN  241 

and  make  sugar  suitable  for  direct  export  and  so  obviate 
the  manipulation  in  the  farderias  at  Manila. 

They  could  make  a  sugar  similar  to  that  produced  in 
Negros  and  known  as  Ilo-ilo. 

Now  that  the  Philippines  have  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  United  States,  I  do  not  doubt  that  central  sugar 
factories  will  be  established  and  will  turn  out  centrifugal 
sugars  polarizing  96  per  cent,  similar  to  the  Cuban  sugar. 

Pampangos  as  Fishermen. 

There  are  some  Pampanga  fishermen  on  the  River 
Betis,  at  San  Jose,  and  amongst  the  labyrinth  of  creeks 
and  mangrove  swamps  forming  the  north-western  shores  of 
Manila  Bay. 

Their  avocation  is  not  destitute  of  danger,  for  these 
swamps  a'-e  the  home  of  the  alligator.*  Although  they  are 
not  as  large  as  some  I  have  seen  in  the  River  Paraguay  or 
on  the  River  Daule,  in  Ecuador,  they  are  quite  large 
enough  to  seize  a  horse  or  a  man.  I  was  once  visiting 
Fr.  Enrique  Garcia,  the  parish  priest  of  Macabebe,  when  a 
native  woman  came  in  and  presented  him  with  a  dollar  to 
say  a  Mass  in  thanksgiving  for  the  escape  of  her  husband 
from  death  that  morning.  She  told  us  that  he  was  pushing 
a  shrimp-net  in  shallow  water  when  the  buaya  seized  him 
by  the  shoulder.  The  fisherman,  however,  called  upon  his 
patron  saint,  and  putting  out  his  utmost  strength,  with  the 
aid  of  Saint  Peter,  succeeded  in  extricating  himself  from 
the  reptile's  jaws  and  in  beating  him  off.  His  shoulder, 
however,  was  badly  lacerated  by  the  alligator's  teeth.  It 
was  lucky  for  him  that  he  was  in  shallow  water,  for  the 
alligator  usually  holds  its  prey  under  water  and  drowns  it. 

The  Pampangos  also  fish  on  the  Rio  Grande,  the  Rio 
Chico,  and  in  the  Pinag  de  Candaba,  This  latter  is  an 
extensive  swampy  plain,  partly  under  cultivation  in  the 
dry  season,  partly  laid  out  as  fish-ponds. 

The  Nipa  palm  grows  in  abundance  in  the  delta  of  the 
Betis,  and  small  colonies  of  half-savage  people  are  settled 
on  dry  spots  amongst  these  swamps  engaged  in  collecting 
the  juice  or  the  leaves  of  this  tree.  The  stems  are  punctured 
and  the  juice  runs  into  small  vessels  made  of  cane.  It  is 
collected  daily,  poured  into  jars  and  carried  in  small  canoes 
to  the  distillery  where  it  is  fermented  and  distilled. 

*  Crocodilus  Porosus. 


242      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  distilleries  are  constructed  in  a  very  primitive 
manner,  and  are  worked  by  Chinese  or  Chinese  half- 
breeds. 

The  produce  is  called  Vino  de  Nipa,  and  is  retailed  in 
the  native  stalls  and  restaurants. 

The  leaves  are  doubled  and  sewn  with  rattan  strips 
upon  a  small  piece  of  bamboo,  they  are  taken  to  market 
upon  a  platform  laid  across  the  gunwales  of  two  canoes. 
This  arrangement  is  called  bangcas  viancornadas,  canoes 
yoked  together.  The  nipa  is  sold  by  the  thousand,  and 
serves  to  thatch  the  native  houses  anywhere,  except  in 
certain  parts  of  Manila  and  other  towns  where  its  use  is 
forbidden  on  account  of  the  great  danger  of  its  taking  fire. 

From  circumstances  that  have  come  under  my  own 
observation,  I  believe  it  to  be  a  fact  that  when  trade  in 
nipa  thatch  is  dull,  the  canoe-men  set  fire  to  the  native 
houses  in  the  suburbs  of  Manila  to  make  a  market.  I  have 
noticed  more  than  once  that  houses  have  commenced  to 
burn  from  the  upper  part  of  the  thatched  roof  where  they 
could  not  have  caught  fire  accidentally.  The  Province  of 
Pampanga  extends  to  the  westward,  as  far  as  the  crests  of 
the  Zambales  mountains,  and  the  Cordillera  of  Mabanga  is 
included  within  its  boundaries.  There  is  but  little  cultivated 
land  beyond  the  town  of  Porac  to  the  westward.  Here 
the  Pampangos  trade  with  the  Negritos,  who  inhabit 
the  Zambales  range,  getting  from  them  jungle  produce  in 
exchange  for  rice,  tobacco,  sugar,  and  other  articles. 
Occasionally  the  Negritos  .steal  cattle  from  the  Pampangos 
or  at  times  murder  one  of  them  if  a  good  opportunity 
presents  itself. 

Pampangos  as  Hunters. 

The  natives  of  this  part  of  the  province  are  good  wood- 
men and  hunters. 

In  addition  to  taking  game  by  nets  and  ambuscade, 
some  of  them  hunt  the  deer  on  ponies  which  are  trained  to 
run  at  full  speed  after  the  game,  up  or  down  hill,  and  to 
get  near  enough  for  the  rider  to  throw  or  use  his  lance. 

Being  at  Porac  in  1879  with  the  late  Major  Deare, 
74th  Highlanders  (now  2nd  Batt.  Highland  Light  Infantry), 
an  enthusiastic  sportsman,  we  saw  two  men  who  had 
practised  this  sport  for  years,  and  were  told  that  their  arms, 
ribs,  legs  and  collar-bones  had  been  broken  over  and  over 


PAMPANGOS :    AS  HUNTERS  243 

again.  We  saw  them  gallop  down  a  rocky  and  precipitous 
descent  after  a  deer  at  full  speed. 

We  could  only  wonder  that  they  were  alive  if  that  was 
a  sample  of  their  hunting.  Their  saddles  were  fitted  with 
strong  martingales  and  cruppers  and  with  triple  girths  so 
that  they  could  not  shift.  The  saddles  themselves  were  of 
the  usual  native  pattern,  like  miniature  Mexicans.  The 
men  were  light  weights. 

N.B. — If  any  reader  of  this  contemplates  travelling  in 
the  Philippines,  let  him  take  a  saddle  with  him.  It  should 
be  as  small  as  he  could  comfortably  use,  and  light.  The 
ponies  are  from  twelve  to  thirteen  hands  high,  but  are 
remarkably  strong  and  clever.  I  know  from  experience  that 
a  good  one  will  carry  fourteen  stone  over  rough  ground 
with  safety. 

Tulisanes. 

Pampanga  has  produced  some  notable  bandits  or 
Tulisanes  who  have  given  the  Spaniards  much  trouble.  Of 
late  years  there  has  been  a  diminution  in  the  number  of 
crimes  of  violence,  due  in  a  great  measure  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Guardia  Civil  by  General  Gandara  in  1867. 

I  once  built  a  nipa  house  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  near  Macabebe,  and  resided  there  for  several  months, 
carrying  on  some  works.  I  was  new  to  the  country  and 
ignorant  of  the  customs  of  the  people. 

There  were  no  other  Europeans  in  the  vicinity,  except 
the  priests. 

I  took  care  to  treat  all  my  native  neighbours  with  strict 
justice,  neither  infringing  their  rights,  nor  allowing  them  to 
impose  on  me. 

There  came  to  stay  with  me  Mr.  A.  B.  Whyte,  then  an 
employe,  now  a  partner  in  one  of  the  leading  British  firms 
in  Manila,  who  frequently  had  ten  thousand  dollars  in  gold 
in  his  safe,  and  similar  sums  were  remitted  to  him  from 
Manila  at  different  times  for  the  purchase  of  sugar. 

One  day  we  received  a  visit  from  an  ofificer  of  the  Civil 
Guard  who  came  to  warn  us  that  we  were  in  danger  of  an 
attack,  that  his  post  was  too  far  off  for  him  to  protect  us, 
and  that  the  locality  bore  a  very  bad  name  for  crimes  of 
violence.  We  thanked  him  for  his  visit  and  warning, 
entertained  him  to  lunch,  and  informed  him  that  we 
intended  to  remain,  after  which  he  returned  to  his  post  at 

R  2 


244      THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Apalit.  On  making  inquiry  we  found  that  some  of  our 
immediate  neighbours  were  well-known  bandits,  but  were 
thought  to  have  retired  from  business.  However,  they 
never  attacked  us,  and  probably  prevented  any  other 
Tulisanes  from  doing  so  lest  they  should  get  the  blame. 
But  had  I  encroached  on  their  land  or  treated  them 
contemptuously,  or  had  I  allowed  them  to  impose  upon 
me.  I  do  not  doubt  we  should  have  been  attacked  and  to 
say  the  least  we  might  have  found  ourselves  in  a  tight 
place. 

A  nipa  house  is  no  place  to  defend,  for  it  can  be  burnt 
in  a  few  minutes  in  the  dry  season,  and  a  spear  can  be 
pushed  through  the  sides,  or  up  through  the  floor  with 
ease. 

In  cases  like  this  one  cannot  entirely  depend  upon  the 
assistance  of  native  servants,  for  they  have  sometimes  joined 
with  criminals  to  rob  or  murder  their  master. 

There  is  a  curious  custom  amongst  bandits  to  invite  an 
outsider  to  join  them  in  a  particular  enterprise,  and  it  is 
considered  mean  and  as  denoting  a  want  of  courage  to 
refuse,  even  when  a  servant  is  invited  to  help  rob  or  kill 
his  master.  Moreover,  there  is  much  danger  in  refusing  to 
join  the  bandits,  for  it  will  give  dire  offence  to  them  and 
perhaps  have  fatal  consequences.  This  invitation  is  called 
a  Convite  \see  Chap.  V.]. 

The  hereditary  taint  of  piracy  in  the  Malay  blood,  and 
the  low  moral  standard  prevailing  in  the  Archipelago,  as 
well  as  fear  of  the  consequences  of  a  refusal,  render  it  more 
difficult  than  a  stranger  can  realise  for  a  native  servant  to 
resist  such  a  temptation. 

Pampanga   Women. 

The  women  in  Pampanga  are  smart  in  appearance, 
clever  in  business,  and  good  at  a  bargain,  whether  buying 
or  selling.  The  men  are  well  aware  of  this  and  when 
selling  their  produce  or  buying  a  sugar-mill,  they  like  to 
have  the  assistance  of  their  wives,  who  are  always  the 
hardest  customers  to  deal  with. 

They  are  excellent  sempstresses  and  good  at  embroidery. 
In  some  villages  they  make  very  durable  silk  handkerchiefs 
with  coloured  borders  of  blue,  red  or  purple.  Straw  hats, 
mats,  salacots,  ci;i^ar  and  cigarette  cases  are  also  made  by 
them. 


PAMPANGOS :    THE    WOMEN  245 

Their  houses  are  kept  clean,  and  the  larger  ones  are 
well-suited  for  entertainments,  as  the  sala  and  caida  are 
very  spacious,  and  have  polished  floors  of  narra,  or  some 
other  hard  close-grained  wood  very  pleasant  to  dance  on. 

A  ball  at  a  big  Pampanga  house  is  a  sight  that  will  be 
remembered.  Capitan  Joaquin  Arnedo  Cruz  of  Suli'pan, 
on  the  Rio  Grande,  a  wealthy  native  sugar-planter,  used  to 
assemble  in  his  fine  house  the  principal  people  of  the 
neighbourhood  to  meet  royal  or  distinguished  guests.  One 
of  his  daughters  is  married  to  a  distinguished  lawyer,  my 
friend  Don  Felipe  Buencamino,  author  of  the  remarkable 
State  paper  addressed  to  the  United  States  Senate,  and 
published  in  the  Congressional  Record  of  January  9th,  1900, 
pp.  752-53-54.  Capitan  Joaquin  possessed  a  magnificent 
porcelain  table-service  of  two  hundred  pieces,  specially 
made  and  marked  with  his  monogram,  sent  him  by  a  prince 
who  had  enjoyed  his  hospitality. 

He  gave  a  ball  for  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis  of  Russia, 
who  afterwards  declared  that  the  room  presented  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  sights  he  had  ever  seen. 

This  from  a  son  of  an  Emperor  might  seem  an 
exaggeration,  but  brilliant  is  the  only  word  that  can 
describe  the  effect  produced  on  the  spectator  by  the  bright 
costumes  and  sparkling  jewellery  of  the  women. 

Their  dress  seems  to  exercise  a  fascination  upon 
Europeans  which  the  costume  of  any  other  eastern  country 
fails  to  do. 

Monsieur  Paul  de  la  Gironi^re,  in  his  charming  book, 
'  Vingt  Ans  aux  Philippines,'  says,  about  the  Mestiza 
dress :  "  Nothing  so  charming,  so  coquet,  so  provocative  as 
this  costume  which  excites  to  the  highest  point  the  admira- 
tion of  all  strangers." 

He  goes  on  to  say  that  the  women  are  well  aware  of 
this,  and  that  on  no  account  would  they  make  a  change, 
I  will  add  my  opinion  that  they  are  quite  right,  and  may 
they  ever  stick  to  the  saya,  the  baro,  and  the  tapis  under 
the  Stars  and  Stripes,  may  they  ever  be  as  natural,  as 
handsome  and  as  prosperous  as  when  the  writer  dwelt 
amongst  them  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande  under 
the  paternal  rule  of  Alcalde  Mayor  Don  Jose  Feced  y 
Temprado. 


246      THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

Zambaks  (3). 

The  Zambales  are  a  small  and  unimportant  tribe  of  the 
Malay  race,  with  some  admixture  of  Negrito  blood.  They 
inhabit  part  of  the  province  of  Zambales  from  the  River 
Naja  down  to  South  Felipe,  a  coast  village  in  15°  N.  lati- 
tude, and  in  their  mountains  there  roam  a  good  many 
Negritos.  The  Zambales  are  subjugated  and  converted 
to  Christianity,  but  some  still  maintain  a  partial  indepen- 
dence amongst  the  mountains,  paying,  however,  the  "  Re- 
conocimentio  de  Vassallaje."  At  the  time  of  the  conquest, 
these  people  were  famous  head-hunters,  and  otherwise  mani- 
fested a  bloodthirsty  disposition.  They  lived  in  villages 
of  thirty  to  forty  families,  quite  independent  of  each 
other,  and  their  chiefs  possessed  but  little  influence.  When 
one  of  a  family  died  the  surviving  male  relatives  put  on  a 
black  head-cloth  or  turban,  which  they  durst  not  remove 
until  one  of  them  had  killed  some  one  else  so  as  to  satisfy 
the  death  vengeance.  A  murder  could  be  atoned  for  by  a 
payment  in  gold  or  in  goods,  or  a  slave  or  Negrito  might 
be  delivered  up  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  manes  of  the  de- 
parted. It  was  customary  amongst  them  to  take  with  them 
to  their  feasts  the  heads  or  skulls  they  possessed.  The 
heads  were  placed  on  poles  and  ceremonial  dances  were 
performed  around  them.  They  also  emulated  the  Vikings 
by  making  drinking  cups  out  of  their  enemies'  skulls. 

Their  religion  was  similar  to  that  of  the  Tagals.  Their 
principal  god  was  called  Malayari,  but  he  had  under  him  two 
deputy  gods,  Acasi  and  Manglobag,  and  a  large  number 
of  inferior  gods.  Their  chief  priest  was  called  Bayoc, 
and  exercised  great  influence  amongst  them,  They  cele- 
brated baptism  with  the  blood  of  a  pig.  Amongst  them,  as 
in  Borneo  and  with  many  tribes  of  Malays  who  are  not 
Mahometans,  the  pig  is  considered  as  the  most  acceptable 


THE  PANGASINANES  247 

sacrifice  to  the  gods.  For  particulars  about  this  I  refer  the 
reader  to  *  Life  in  the  Forests  of  the  Far  East,'  by  Spenser 
St.  John. 

Now,  at  last,  they  have  been  brought  into  the  Christian 
fold,  though,  perhaps,  amongst  the  pine-clad  mountains, 
heathen  customs  maintain  their  hold  upon  the  wild  hill- 
men.  These  latter  trade  with  their  Christian  and  partly- 
civihsed  brethren,  bringing  them  jungle  produce,  tobacco, 
and  the  small  bezoar  stones,  so  highly  prized  by  the  Chinese, 
in  return  for  articles  they  require.  The  Zambales  raise 
some  rice  and  a  little  sugar.  Their  trade  is  inconsiderable, 
their  exports  being  limited  to  Sapan  wood,  jungle  produce, 
timber,  fire-wood,  and  charcoal,  all  of  which  is  shipped  to 
Manila,  where  it  finds  a  ready  sale.  The  total  population 
of  this  province  was  94,551  in  1876,  but  only  a  portion  of 
these  were  Zambales. 

Pangasinanes  (4). 

The  Pangasinanes  inhabit  the  north-western  part  of  the 
province  of  Pangasinan,  and  the  northern  part  of  the  pro- 
vince of  Zambales  from  the  River  Naja,  which  runs  into  the 
Bay  of  Bazol,  round  Cape  Bolinao  to  Sual,  including  the 
Island  of  Cabarruyan  and  Santiago.  But  the  southern  and 
eastern  part  of  their  province  is  partly  inhabited  by  Pam- 
pangos  and  Ilocanos. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  some  Pangasinanes  scat- 
tered about  the  northern  part  of  Nueva  Ecija  amongst 
Tagals  and  Ilocanos,  and  there  are  a  few  as  colonists  in 
Benguet. 

In  former  times  the  Pangasinanes  occupied  a  wider 
extent  of  country.  When  Juan  Salcedo  arrived  he  found 
them  occupying  the  southern  part  of  La  Union  ;  but  they 
have  been  and  are  still  being  pushed  back  by  the  more 
hard  working  and  energetic  Ilocanos. 

As  the  limits  of  their  province  do  not  correspond  to  the 
ethnographical  boundaries,  it  is  not  easy  to  estimate  their 
numbers.     I  think  there  may  be  about  300,000  of  them. 

The  Pangasinanes  were  subjugated  by  the  Spaniards  in 
1572,  and  in  1576  they  were  all  Christians.  Their  manners 
and  customs  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Pampangos  and 
Tagals,  but  they  have  a  rougher  and  more  uncouth  appear- 
ance. Their  chief  occupation  is  cultivating  rice,  and  when- 
ever this  is  the  case  the  people  are  poor  and  little  advanced 


248      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 


in  civilisation.  It  is  the  lowest  kind  of  agriculture  any 
people  can  follow.  The  first  sign  of  prosperity  in  an 
eastern  people  is  given  when  they  begin  to  import  rice, 
as  it  shows  that  they  have  a  more  remunerative  occupation 
to  follow  than  cultivating  it  for  themselves.  Thus  the 
Cagayanes  who  grow  tobacco,  the  Pampangos  who  grow 
sugar,  and  the  Vicols  of  Albay  and  neighbouring  islands 
who  grow  hemp,  all  import  rice. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Jamieson,  the  Acting  British  Consul  at 
Sumao,  in  a  report  on  the  trade  of  Yunnan,  issued  the 
7th  of  December,  1898,  says:  "Apart  from  minerals,  the 
province  possesses  a  few  other  resources  and  the  inhabitants 
are  lazy  and  unenterprising  to  a  degree.  So  long  as  they 
can  grow  enough  rice  to  feed  themselves  and  procure 
enough  cotton  to  make  the  few  articles  of  clothing  neces- 
sary in  this  equable  climate,  they  are  content." 

I  am  glad  to  find  this  confirmation  of  my  views  in  this 
matter.  Mr.  Jamieson's  remarks  apply  to  all  the  rice- 
growers  I  have  seen. 

The  rice  is  raised  in  the  delta  of  the  Agno  and  about 
that  river.  Formerly,  the  Pangasinanes  not  only  sent  rice 
to  Manila,  but  exported  it  to  China,  Siam,  and  Annan. 

For  this  trade  they  built  their  own  vessels  at  Lingayen, 
and  in  the  flourishing  period,  some  twenty-five  years  ago, 
their  shipwrights  used  to  turn  out  eight  or  ten  schooners  in 
a  year,  vessels  able  to  carry  300  to  400  tons  dead  weight. 
Since  the  introduction  of  steamers  into  the  coasting  trade, 
the  construction  of  sailing  vessels  has  greatly  diminished. 
Still,  they  turn  out  two  or  three  a  year. 

In  some  parts  of  the  province  they  make  sugar,  but  it 
will  not  compare  in  quality  with  that  made  in  Pampanga. 
It  has  a  smaller  grain  and  a  paler  colour,  but  less  sweetening 
power.  The  average  of  thirty  samples,  taken  as  the  sugar 
was  ladled  out  of  the  tacho,  was — 

Crystallizable  sugar     .          .          .       70*40  per  cent. 
Uncrystallizable.          .          .          .        i3"oo 
Ash 1-97 

It  is  drained  in  pilones,  or  earthenware  moulds  ;  but, 
unlike  the  Pampanga  custom,  the  moulds  are  not  delivered 
with  the  sugar,  but  the  leaf  is  wrapped  in  the  dried  sheaths 
of  the  palm,  tied  about  with  split  rattan.  Most  of  the  sugar 
is  sent  by  sea  to  Manila  and  exported  to  China  for  direct 


ILOCANOS:    THEIR  INDUSTRY  249 


consumption  in  one  of  the  provinces  where  it  finds  a  ready 
sale. 

Indigo  was  formerly  cultivated  here  and  exported,  and 
at  one  time  a  good  deal  of  Sapan  wood  was  also  exported, 
but  the  trade  in  these  articles  has  almost  ceased. 

Amongst  the  industries  of  Pangasinan  may  be  mentioned 
the  manufacture  of  hats,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  which 
were  made  at  Calasiao  from  grass  or  nito,  and  sent  to 
Boston  or  New  York.  There  are  also  at  Calasiao,  and  in 
some  other  towns,  blacksmiths  who  forge  excellent  bolos 
or  wood-knives  from  the  iron-bands  taken  off  bales  of  cotton 
cloth  or  sacking. 

Carrotnatas,  the  two-wheeled  vehicles  of  the  country,  are 
constructed  in  Lingayen  and  Dagupan,  and  are  said  to  be 
very  well  made. 

I  may  mention  here  that  the  ponies  raised  in  these 
provinces  are  inferior  to  the  Ilocanos  or  even  the  Albay 
breed. 

The  sands  of  the  River  Agno  near  Rosales,  and  of  the 
streams  coming  down  from  Mount  Lagsig,  are  washed  for 
gold,  principally  by  women  who  obtain  but  a  meagre 
return. 

The  civilisation  of  the  Pangasinanes  is  only  skin-deep, 
and  one  of  their  characteristics  is  a  decided  propensity  to 
reviontar,  that  is,  to  abandon  their  towns  or  villages  and 
take  to  the  mountains,  out  of  reach  of  all  authority.  There 
are  some  great  land-owners  in  Pangasinan  ;  one  of  them, 
Don  Rafael  Sison,  owns  an  estate  that  stretches  from 
Calasiao  and  Santa  Barbara  to  Urdaneta. 

Ilocanos  (5). 

This  hard-working  and  industrious  race  occupies  the 
northern  and  western  shores  of  Luzon,  from  Point  Lacatacay 
on  the  12 1st  meridian,  east  from  Greenwich,  to  San  Fabian, 
on  the  Gulf  of  Lingayen.  This  includes  the  three  pro- 
vinces of  Ilocos  Norte,  Ilocos  Sur,  and  La  Union.  The 
Ilocanos  have  also  pushed  into  the  north-eastern  part  of 
Pangasinan,  where  they  occupy  seven  towns,  and  they 
inhabit  the  town  of  Alcala  in  the  province  of  Cagayan, 
several  villages  in  Benguet,  parts  of  the  towns  of  Capas 
and  O'Donnell  in  the  provinces  of  Tarlac,  and  some  towns 
in  Zambales  and  Nueva  Ecija.  They  are  all  civilised  and 
have  been  Christians  for  three  centuries.     Amongst  them 


2  50     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

dwell  many  converted  Tinguianes  and  Igorrotes,  who  speak 
the  Ilocan  dialect. 

Blumentritt  attributes  the  energy  and  activity  of  the 
Ilocanos  to  an  admixture,  even  though  it  be  small,  of  these 
brave  and  hardy  races.  In  dress  and  appearance  they  are 
similar  to  the  Tagals,  and  like  them  carry  the  indispensable 
bolo.  They  cultivate  tobacco,  cotton,  rice,  maize,  indigo, 
sugar-cane,  and  a  little  cacao  and  coffee.  They  also  grow 
the  pita  {Agave  A  mericana),  which  gives  the  fibre  for  the 
nipis  textiles,  ajonjoli  {Sesamuju  hidicum,  L.),  from  which 
they  extract  oil,  which  is  used  in  medicine  and  for  the  hair, 
and  they  even  grow  some  wheat.  They  extract  a  black 
resin  from  the  Antong  {Canarum  Pitnela),  which  is  used  as 
incense  or  for  making  torches ;  another  resin  from  the 
Bangad,  which  is  used  as  a  varnish,  another  from  the  Cajel 
{Citrus  Aura7ttinvi),  and  many  others  used  either  in  medi- 
cine, for  torches,  for  varnishing,  or  for  paying  the  seams  of 
wooden  vessels.  They  get  gum  from  the  Balete  {Ficus 
Urostigma),  and  from  the  Lucban,  or  orange  tree  {^Citrus 
decumana,  L.),  oil  from  the  Palomaria  {Calopkyllum  ino- 
phylluni,  L.),  and  from  a  large  number  of  other  trees,  some 
only  known  by  the  native  name,  and  the  use  of  which  is 
uncertain.  They  obtain  dyes  from  many  trees  growing 
wild  in  the  forests,  amongst  others  from  the  Tabungao 
{Jatropha  Curcas,  L.),  the  Lomboy  {Eugenia  Lambolana, 
Lam.),  the  sibucao  {Coesalpinia  Sappan,  L.).  Their  cultiva- 
tion of  indigo  is  declining,  partly  because  the  demand  has 
diminished  in  consequence  of  the  introduction  of  chemical 
substitutes,  and  also  because  the  Chinese,  into  whose  hands 
the  whole  produce  of  these  provinces  found  its  way,  adulte- 
rated it  so  abominably  as  to  discredit  it  altogether.  Yet  so 
great  is  the  facility  of  Ilocan  territory  for  growing  indigo, 
that  Gregorio  Sy  Quia  of  Vigan  exhibited  in  Madrid  in 
1887  no  less  than  seventy-five  different  kinds  of  indigo,  and 
seventy-five  different  seeds  corresponding  to  the  samples. 
At  the  same  exhibition,  no  less  than  twenty-four  different 
kinds  of  rice  were  exhibited  from  Ilocos,  and  this  by  no 
means  exhausts  the  list.  Every  kind  has  a  distinctive 
name.  The  textile  industry  flourishes  amongst  these  in- 
dustrious people.  The  Local  Committee  of  Namagpacan, 
in  the  province  of  La  Union,  sent  to  Madrid  for  the  above- 
mentioned  exhibition,  no  less  than  145  different  textiles, 
whilst  other  towns  sent  looms  and  other  implements. 
Amongst   the   articles  woven    are   quilts,  cotton   blankets 


ILOCANOS:  TYRANNY  OF  THE  NOBLES  251 


(the  celebrated  Mantos  de  Ilocos),  napkins  and  towels, 
and  a  great  variety  of  material  for  coats,  trousers,  women's 
dresses  and  other  uses.  Guingon  (called  by  sailors  dun- 
garee), a  blue  stuff  for  clothing,  costs  from  $0*50  to 
$0*31,  2s.  8d.  per  vara  (2  feet  9  inches),  a  mixture  of 
cotton  and  silk,  for  men's  wear,  $1*25  per  vara,  silk  hand- 
kerchiefs $0*25  each. 

The  Ilocans  also  make  nets  for  fish,  and  for  deer  and 
pigs  ;  baskets  of  all  sorts,  salacots  or  hats. 

They  grow  two  kinds  of  cotton  for  textiles,  the  white 
and  the  Coyote.  Another  kind,  a  tree  cotton  from  the 
Boboy  {Eriodendron  anjractuoswn,  D.C.),  is  only  used  for 
stuffing  pillows.  They  extract  oil  from  the  seeds  of  all 
three  kinds. 

Like  the  other  civilized  natives  they  live  principally  on 
rice  and  fish,  which  they  capture  in  large  quantities. 
Blumentritt  mentions  two  kinds,  the  "  Ipon "  and  the 
"  Dolon,"  which  they  salt  or  pickle. 

They  have  fine  cattle,  which  they  sell  to  the  Igorrotes. 
It  will  be  noted  that  the  Tinguianes,  on  the  other  hand, 
sell  cattle  to  the  Ilocanos.  The  ponies  of  Ilocos  are  highly 
valued  in  Manila,  where  there  is  a  great  demand  for  them. 
They  are  smaller  than  the  ponies  of  other  provinces,  but 
are  very  hardy  and  spirited,  and  go  at  a  great  pace.  Tuli- 
sanes  formerly  infested  these  provinces  and  found  a  ready 
refuge  in  the  mountains,  when  pursued  by  the  aiadrilleros, 
or  village  constables,  who  were  only  armed  with  bolos, 
lances,  and  a  few  old  muskets.  But  the  creation  of  the 
Civil  Guard,  formed  of  picked  officers  and  men,  who  were 
armed  with  Remingtons  and  revolvers,  and  whose  orders 
were,  "  Do  not  hesitate  to  shoot,"  made  this  business  very- 
dangerous,  and  the  three  provinces  suffer  little  from  bri- 
gandage. When  Juan  Salcedo  conquered  the  Ilocos,  he 
found  a  caste  of  nobles  amongst  them  who  possessed  all 
the  riches  of  the  country,  and  treated  the  cailanes,  or  serfs, 
with  great  rigour.  Their  tyranny  caused  several  bloody 
rebellions,  and  although  at  present  matters  in  this  respect 
have  improved,  there  is  still  room  for  complaint  that  the 
people  who  do  the  work  do  not  get  a  fair  remuneration  for 
it,  the  rich  man  always  endeavouring  to  keep  the  poor  man  in 
permanent  indebtedness.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  Ilo- 
canos are  ever  ready  to  emigrate,  and  besides  the  places  I 
have  mentioned,  there  are  thousands  of  them  in  Manila  and 
other  parts  of  the  islands.     They  easily  obtain  employment 


252     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

either  as  servants,  cultivators,  or  labourers,  for  they  are 
superior  in  stamina  to  most  of  the  civilised  races,  and  in 
industry  superior  to  them  all. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  there  is  a  great  future  before  this 
hardy,  enterprising,  and  industrious  people. 

Ibanags  or  Cagayanes  (6). 

The  Ibanags  inhabit  the  Babuyanes  and  Batanes 
Islands  and  the  northern  coast  of  Luzon,  from  Point 
Lacaytacay  to  Punta  Escarpada,  and  all  the  country  com- 
prised between  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  summits  of  the 
Sierra  Madre  as  far  south  as  Balasig. 

They  also  hold  the  left  bank  of  the  river  from  the  sea, 
right  up  to  the  confluence  of  the  River  Magat  for  an  average 
width  of  some  five  miles. 

They  are  said  to  be  the  finest  race  and  the  most  valiant 
men  in  the  islands,  and  to  have  manfully  resisted  the 
Spaniards. 

However,  they  were  conquered  and  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity. From  the  year  1781  they  have  been  subjected  to 
the  worst  form  of  slavery,  the  forced  cultivation  of  tobacco. 
The  detestable  abuses  brought  into  this  system  by  the  un- 
blushing rascality  of  the  agents  of  the  treasury,  became, 
finally,  so  glaring,  and  the  condition  of  the  Ibanags  so 
dreadful,  that,  in  1882,  the  Governor-General,  Moriones 
(see  Chapter  "  Spanish  Government  "),  forced  the  hand  of 
Canovas  and  the  royal  family,  who  desired  to  sell  the 
monopoly,  and  this  horrible  slavery  ceased,  having  lasted 
over  a  century,  going  from  bad  to  worse. 

Since  that  date  the  condition  of  the  Ibanags  has  greatly 
improved  ;  they  have  continued  the  cultivation  of  tobacco, 
and  private  enterprise  has  done  much  to  introduce  the 
finest  seed  and  to  improve  the  cultivation  and  preparatory 
operations.  The  "  Compariia  Tabacalera  de  Filipinas,"  a 
Franco-Catalan  enterprise,  has  established  the  Haciendas  of 
San  Antonio,  San  Rafael,  and  Santa  Isabel,  in  the  district 
of  Isabela. 

They  have  built  large  warehouses  in  Tumaiiini  and  have 
agents  in  all  the  principal  towns. 

On  the  river  they  have  a  stern-wheel  steamer,  the 
Antonio  Lopez,  and  a  number  of  steel-lighters  for  carrying 
down  tobacco. 

The  tobacco  is  ready  for  transport  in  December  and 


IB  A  NAGS   OR  CAGAYANES  253 

January.  It  is  sent  down  the  river  to  Aparri,  from  whence 
it  is  shipped  to  Manila.  In  a  normal  dry  season  (February 
to  August),  the  river  is  navigable  for  steamers  of  two  feet 
draught  up  to  Alcald,  the  trade  of  which  town  is  not  im- 
portant ;  but  that  of  Tuguegarao  is  so,  and  up  to  that  point 
the  current  is  not  strong. 

Amongst  the  Ibanags  the  distinction  of  noble  and 
plebeian  has  been  as  strongly  marked  as  amongst  the 
Tagals,  Pampangos,  and  Ilocanos,  and  the  intense  cupidity 
of  the  nobles,  or  rather  usurers,  which  name  better  describes 
them,  has  led  to  many  bloody  outbreaks  on  the  part  of  the 
oppressed  and  enslaved  debtors. 

The  government  has  steadily  encouraged  the  Ilocanos 
and  others  to  settle  in  Cagayan  and  plant  tobacco,  giving 
them  free  passages  and  advances  of  money  in  the  days  of 
the  monopoly. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  discontent  of  the  Ibanags  has 
led  them  to  migrate  to  other  provinces  when  possible,  for 
the  authorities  prevented  them  from  doing  so  by  force 
when  they  could.  They  especially  endeavoured  to  get  to 
Manila,  and  I  remember  many  years  ago  the  arrival  of  a 
starving  and  ragged  band,  who  had  tramped  all  the  way 
from  Isabela  to  Manila  to  escape  from  their  cruel  task- 
masters. 

However,  things  are  better  with  them  now,  and  I  hope 
means  will  be  found  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes  to  introduce 
a  better  system  of  finance,  and  to  curb  the  greed  of  the 
usurer,  either  by  legislation  or  by  competition  on  a  fair  and 
humane  basis.  The  Ibanag  language  is  spreading  greatly 
amongst  the  hill-tribes  around  them  as  a  commercial 
language,  just  as  Ilocano  is  spreading  on  the  West  Coast. 

Under  American  influence  an  immense  development 
of  the  provinces  of  Cagayan  and  Isabela  may  be  expected 
in  the  near  future,  and  the  Ibanags  will  doubtless  benefit 
by  this. 


!54      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Igorrotes  (7). 

This  is  an  important,  and  to  me,  the  most  interesting  of 
the  independent  or  partly  subdued  races  of  the  Phihppines. 
They  are  a  fine,  hardy,  industrious,  and  warlike  race,  well 
worth  a  great  and  patient  effort  to  bring  them  within  the 
pale  of  Christianity,  and  to  advance  the  civilisation  they 
have  already  attained.  They  are  of  a  dark  bronze  colour, 
with  straight  black  and  abundant  hair,  large  dark  eyes  set 
rather  obliquely  as  amongst  Chinese.  Their  faces  are 
broad  with  high  cheek-bones,  the  nose  aquiline  and  the 
head  large.  The  features  in  general  have  a  Mongolian  cast, 
and  a  certain  nasal  twang  in  their  speech  resembles  that 
of  the  Southern  Chinese.  The  men  have  capacious  chests, 
showing  good  lung-power,  their  muscles  well  developed 
indicating  great  strength  and  ability  to  resist  fatigue.  The 
women  have  also  well-marked  figures  and  rounded  limbs. 
The  fashions  vary  with  different  tribes,  but  it  is  common 
to  find  both  sexes  wearing  their  hair  cut  in  a  fringe  over 
the  forehead,  but  reaching  down  to  the  eyebrows,  long  enough 
at  the  sides  to  cover  the  ears,  left  long  at  the  back  of  the 
head,  where  it  is  gathered  up  into  a  knot. 

The  Igorrotes  of  Lepanto  wear  beards,  some  of  them 
are  as  thick  as  a  Spaniard's,  but  the  tribes  farther  South 
pull  out,  not  only  their  beards,  but  all  the  hair  on  their 
bodies,  except  that  of  the  head.  Their  dress  varies  from 
a  mere  apron  (Bahaque)  when  at  work  in  the  fields,  to  an 
ornamental  jacket  very  smartly  cut  and  elaborate  sword- 
belt  when  at  war  or  on  any  full-dress  occasion.  These 
jackets  are  very  handsome  and  have  stripes  of  blue,  crimson 
and  white.  They  wear  a  variety  of  head-dresses,  turban, 
Salacot  or  a  kind  of  cocked-hat  and  feathers.  Both  men 
and  women  wear  cloaks  or  plaids  of  bright  colours  made 
of  cotton.     Although  the  word   Igorrote  has  come  to  be 


IGORROTES :    THEIR   ORNAMENTS  255 

almost  a  generic  name  for  the  heathen  Highlanders  of 
North  Luzon,  it  is  here  limited  to  those  who  dwell  on  the 
Western  part  of  the  Cordillera  Central,  comprising  the 
whole  of  the  districts  of  Benguet  and  Lepanto,  part  of 
Bontoc  and  parts  of  the  Provinces  of  La  Union  and  I  locos 
Sur.     The  sub-tribes  Buriks  and  Busaos  are  included. 

Tattooing  is  very  general  amongst  them.  In  some  dis- 
tricts you  can  hardly  find  a  man  or  woman  who  has  not  a 
figure  of  the  sun  tattooed  in  blue  on  the  back  of  the  hand, 
for  in  Central  Benguet  they  worship  the  sun.  S^me  o 
them  tattoo  the  breast  and  arms  in  patterns  of  straight  and 
curved  lines  pricked  in  with  a  needle  in  indigo  blue.  The 
Busao  Igorrotes,  who  live  in  the  North  of  Lepanto,  tattoo 
flowers  on  their  arms,  and  in  war-dress  wear  a  cylindical 
shako  made  of  wood  or  plaited  rattan,  and  large  copper 
pendants  in  their  ears.  These  people  do  not  use  the 
Talibon,  and  prefer  the  spear.  The  Burik  Igorrotes  tattoo 
the  body  in  a  curious  manner,  giving  them  the  appearance 
of  wearing  a  coat  of  mail.  But  this  custom  is  probably 
now  becoming  obsolete,  for  at  least  those  of  the  Igorrotes 
who  live  near  the  Christian  natives  are  gradually  adopting 
their  dress  and  customs. 

White  is  the  colour  of  mourning,  as  amongst  the  Moros 
of  Mindanao  and  Sulu.  Both  sexes  arc  fond  of  personal 
ornaments,  such  as  ear-rings,  collars,  arm-rings,  bangles, 
leg-rings  and  belts.  Collars  of  crocodiles'  teeth  are  highly 
esteemed.  In  the  long  list  of  their  manufactures  I  shall 
enumerate  their  ornaments.  Their  arms  are  the  talibon,  a 
short  double-edged  sword  ;  the  gayang,  a  javelin  or  assegai ; 
and  the  aligjia,  a  light  axe,  having  a  spike  at  the  back 
opposite  to  the  cutting  edge.  After  throwing  their  javelins, 
they  rush  on  with  their  drawn  swords,  holding  their  shield, 
called  a  calata,  on  the  left  arm.  This  is  made  of  light  wood 
and  is  long  and  narrow.  With  the  exception  of  the  shape  of 
the  shield  their  equipment  is  much  like  that  of  the  Roman 
Legionaries  twenty  centuries  since.  The  aligua  appears 
to  be  used,  not  as  a  fighting  weapon,  but  to  decapitate 
their  fallen  enemies  and  as  a  means  of  carrying  the  head 
home  on  a  spike.  Great  rejoicings,  with  feasts  and  dances, 
were  held  after  a  successful  skirmish,  and  large  quantities 
of  liquor  consumed.  But  the  constant  pressure  of  the 
Spanish  authority  has  in  a  great  measure  stopped  these 
petty  wars.  They  make  a  kind  of  beer  called  Basi  by 
fermenting  cane-juice,  and  another   liquor,  something  like 


256      THE  INHABITANTS   OF    THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  chicha  of  the  Peruvian  Coast  Indians,  from  rice.  This 
latter  is  called  bundang.  They  are  great  smokers,  and 
make  their  own  pipes  of  various  materials.  They  appear 
not  to  have  universally  adopted  the  Malay  custom  of 
chewing  buyo.  There  is  a  settlement  of  Christian  Igorrotes 
on  the  coast  of  Ilocos  Sur,  close  to  the  boundary  of  La 
Union,  which  has  been  established  many  years.  But  in 
general  the  Igorrotes  have  steadily  refused  to  embrace 
Christianity,  and  evidently  do  not  want  to  go  to  the  same 
heaven  as  the  Spaniards.  The  behaviour  of  the  troops 
led  against  them  in  1881  by  General  Primo  de  Rivera 
doubtless  confirmed  them  in  this  repugnance.  The  expedi- 
tion did  not  do  much  in  the  way  of  fighting,  Remingtons 
and  mountain-guns  failed  to  subdue  the  bold  mountaineers 
armed  only  with  javelin  and  sword.  The  Spanish  officers 
and  men,  however,  are  reported  to  have  abominably  mis- 
handled the  Igorrote  women.  For  this  ravishing  foray  the 
late  King  Alfonso  XII.  bestowed  the  title  of  Vizconde  de 
la  Union  upon  Primo  de  Rivera,  and  showered  promotions 
and  crosses  upon  his  staff". 

The  Igorrotes  live  in  villages  with  a  population  of 
three  or  four  hundred  souls.  There  is  a  chief  to  each,  but 
the  villages  are  not  organised  into  states,  each  being  in- 
dependent. The  chief  is  supposed  to  be  chosen  from  the 
families  called  Mainguel,  who  have  distinguished  them- 
selves in  war.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  richest  man  usually 
becomes  chief  The  wealthy  families  vie  with  each  other 
in  the  grand  feasts  which  they  give  to  all  comers.  The 
noble  and  the  illustrious  guests  are  personally  invited  to 
these  feasts,  but  the  common  people  assemble  at  beat  of 
drum.  The  chief  presides  at  the  meeting  of  the  Bacuajies 
or  nobles  in  whom  are  vested  the  village  lands,  and  who 
direct  its  affairs. 

The  common  people  are  in  a  kind  of  bondage  to  the 
nobles,  and  cultivate  their  lands  for  them.  In  Lepanto 
they  are  called  cailianes  as  in  Ilocos.  Their  houses  are 
square,  and  similar  to  those  of  the  other  natives  in  the  out- 
lying districts,  being  raised  on  posts  above  the  ground- 
level.  A  framework  of  bamboos  is  supported  on  four 
trunks  of  trees,  the  roof  is  thatched  with  cogon  (elephant 
grass)  and  the  sides  are  closed  in  by  canes,  bamboos  or 
pine  planks.  Each  house  stands  in  an  enclosure  of  its 
own,  strongly  fenced  with  rough  stones  or  posts.  They 
are  far  inferior  to  the  Christian  natives  in  the  arrangement 


IGORROTES:    SACREDNESS   OF  MARRIAGE       257 

of  their  houses.  Instead  of  having  a  separate  kitchen  on 
dipantalan  or  raised  platform,  the  fire  is  made  in  the  centre 
of  the  house,  and  the  smoke  finds  its  way  out  through  a 
hole  in  the  roof.  The  rafters  and  inside  of  the  thatch  is 
blackened  by  the  soot.  They  make  no  windows  to  their 
houses  and  only  a  small  door,  the  ladder  to  which  is  drawn 
up  when  they  retire  to  rest.  They  are  not  clean  in  their 
persons,  and  neglect  to  wash  their  clothes,  or  clean  the 
interiors  of  their  houses.  They  thus  compare  very  un- 
favourably with  the  Tagals  as  regards  cleanliness,  although, 
as  we  shall  see,  in  some  other  respects  they  are  greatly 
above  them.  Each  village  has  its  Town  Hall,  which  they 
call  the  Balta-oa.  This  is  where  the  Town  Council 
assembles  to  settle  the  affairs  of  the  community,  to  hear 
requests  for  divorces,  and  to  administer  the  law  to  offenders. 
Public  festivities  also  take  place  here. 

They  are  monogamous,  and  have  the  highest  respect  for 
the  holiness  of  the  marriage  tie.  It  is  not  absolutely 
indissoluble,  but  can  be  dissolved  by  the  village  council  on 
serious  grounds  ;  but  apparently  divorce  is  systematically 
discouraged,  and  the  sacredness  of  marriage  is  upheld.  In 
former  times  adulteresses  were  punished  by  beheading,  but 
more  lenient  views  now  prevail,  and  a  good  whipping  is 
considered  sufficient  to  meet  the  case.  Generally  death 
only  dissolves  the  tie,  and  even  then  only  partially,  as 
re-marriage  is  difficult ;  for  it  is  not  proper  for  the  widow 
to  marry  again  without  the  consent  of  her  late  husband's 
family,  which  may  not  easily  be  obtained,  and  if  she 
contracts  new  ties,  the  children  of  her  first  marriage  are 
removed  from  her  control.  On  the  other  hand,  Igorrote 
respectability  requires  that  a  widower  should  entirely  neglect 
his  toilet  and  commune  silently  with  his  grief  for  several 
years  before  taking  to  himself  a  new  wife.  Like  most 
heathen,  they  show  the  greatest  respect  and  affection  for 
their  parents,  and  cherish  them  to  their  life's  end. 

In  sharp  contrast  with  the  license  accorded  to  young  girls 
by  the  Tagals  and  Visayas,  the  Igorrotes  carefully  guard 
the  chastity  of  their  daughters,  and  do  not  allow  them  to 
go  about  without  a  chaperon.  The  father  even  often 
accompanies  them  on  their  excursions.  When  they  arrive 
at  the  age  of  puberty,  the  boys  and  girls  are  separated. 

In  each  village  there  are  two  special  buildings  not  too 
near  each  other.  In  one  of  these  the  girls  sleep  under  the 
watchful  guard  of  a  duenna,  who  looks  after  their  morals, 

S 


2S8     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


and  in  the  other  the  youths  under  the  care  of  an  elder. 
The  youth  caught  violating  the  sanctity  of  the  damsels' 
dormitory,  or  the  maiden  who  is  detected  in  an  intrigue,  or 
shows  signs  of  maternity,  may  expect  a  severe  correction. 
They  do  not  seem  to  raise  as  many  difficulties  about  the 
marriage  of  their  daughters  as  the  Tagals  do,  and  they  do 
not  make  it  a  matter  of  a  mercenary  bargain.  When  a 
youth  takes  a  fancy  to  a  marriageable  maiden  of  his  own 
degree,  he  applies  through  his  parents  to  the  father  of  the 
girl,  and  if  he  and  his  daughter  look  with  favour  on  the 
proposal,  the  young  man  is  admitted  to  cohabit  with  the 
damsel.  But  if  within  a  certain  period  the  girl  does  not 
show  signs  of  succession,  the  would-be  bridegroom  is  sent 
about  his  business.  On  the  other  hand,  if  pregnancy  is 
announced,  the  wedding  takes  place  with  all  possible 
ceremony,  including  an  invocation  oi  Xh.^  Anitos  ox  ancestral 
gods,  feasts  and  dances,  which  last  eight  or  nine  days,  but 
the  young  couple  are  excused  from  attendance.  The 
Igorrotes,  in  fact,  openly  recognise  a  custom  which  is 
practised  to  a  great  extent  in  the  agricultural  districts 
of  England  and  Scotland,  with  this  difference,  that  the 
Christian  youth  in  the  latter  countries  often  evades  the 
marriage,  while  the  heathen  Igorrote  carries  out  his  engage- 
ment.    I  think,  on  the  whole,  the  heathen  comes  out  best. 

Although  so  desirous  of  offspring,  they  like  to  have 
them  come  one  at  a  time,  and  they  consider  it  to  be  an 
evil  omen  when  one  of  their  women  brings  forth  twins. 
In  such  a  case  the  last  born  is  handed  over  to  whoever 
desires  to  adopt  it.  This  is  held  to  avert  the  omen  and 
straighten  things  out  again. 

Of  late  years  the  establishment  of  forts  with  the  Tagal 
or  Visayas  garrisons  in  the  Igorrote  territory,  and  closer 
contact  with  Christians  generally,  have  tended  to  demoralise 
the  heathen,  and,  above  all,  to  lower  somewhat  their  lofty 
ideal  of  chastity. 

Amongst  the  Igorrotes  of  Lepanto,  and  those  farthest 
removed  from  Spanish  influence,  when  a  man  of  position 
dies,  a  notification  is  sent  to  all  his  blood-relations,  even 
though  they  reside  at  a  great  distance,  and  the  corpse  is 
not  buried  until  they  have  all  arrived  and  have  each  taken 
the  dead  man's  hand  in  theirs,  inquiring  of  him  tenderly 
why  he  has  abandoned  his  family.  All  this  time  a  great 
feast  is  going  on  outside  the  house,  vast  quantities  of  rice 
and   meat  are  provided  and  consumed,  and  an  unlimited 


ANITOS    OF    NORTHERN    TRIBES. 


ANITOS    OF    THE    IGORROTES. 


[To  face  />.  258. 


[  To  face  /.   259. 
COFFIN     OF    AN     IGORROTE     NOBLE,    WITH     HIS    CORONETS 
AND    OTHER    ORNAMENTS. 


IGORROTES:    TREATMENT  OF  THEIR  DEAD    259 

allowance  of  beer  drunk  by  the  guests.  The  expense  is 
often  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  means  of  the  family  and 
perhaps  involves  them  in  debt  for  years. 

In  the  Igorrote  territory  under  Spanish  influence  this 
extravagance  and  delay  of  burial  is  discouraged.  Some  of 
the  Igorrotes  dry  their  dead  over  a  fire  in  a  similar  way  to 
the  Tinguianes.  The  dead  are  buried  in  a  sitting  posture, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Peruvian  Indians,  but  enclosed  in 
coffins,  which  are  placed  in  any  small  cave  or  cleft  in  the 
rocks,  enlarged  by  hand  if  necessary.  The  Igorrotes  believe 
in  a  Supreme  Being,  the  creator  and  preserver ;  he  is  called 
Apo  in  Benguet,  and  LiL-ma-oig  in  Lepanto.  The  wife  of 
Apo  is  called  Ba?igan,  the  daughter  Bugan  and  the  son 
Ubban.  There  are  two  inferior  gods,  Cabigat  and  Suyan, 
these  deities  hold  intercourse  with  mankind  through  the 
Anitos  or  ancestral  spirits,  some  good,  some  evil,  who 
reward  or  chastise  mankind  in  this  life.  They  represent 
these  spirits  by  roughly-carved  idols  of  wood.  Some  of 
these  idols  are  male  and  others  female.  Occasionally  the 
carving  is  of  an  obscene  nature,  and  similar  to  some  clay 
images  I  have  seen  taken  from  tombs  in  Peru.  They 
practise  family  prayer,  and  the  object  of  it  is  to  solicit  the 
favour  of  the  Anitos.  Sometimes  the  will  of  the  Anitos  is 
declared  through  an  old  priestess  called  an  Asitera,  who 
receives  a  fee  for  her  pains.  The  ancestral  spirits  are  more 
worshipped  than  the  gods.  Poultry,  swine,  and  dogs,  may 
not  be  slaughtered  except  in  a  sacrificial  manner.  There 
is  a  priest  in  every  village  called  the  Manbnnung  who  first 
consecrates  the  animal  to  the  Anitos,  and  then  kills  it  and 
returns  it  to  the  owner,  reserving,  however,  the  best  piece  for 
himself.  In  company  with  his  first-born  son  he  takes  the 
lead  at  prayer-meetings,  or  on  special  occasions,  such  as 
illness,  marriage,  the  commencing  some  important  work,  or 
averting  some  evil  omen.  This  man  makes  some  pretence 
at  healing  the  sick,  but  rather  with  charms  and  incantations 
than  by  administering  medicine.  There  is  a  sacred  tree 
near  each  village,  which  is  regarded  as  the  seat  of  the 
Anitos,  In  the  shade  of  this  is  a  sacrificial  stone.  Some- 
times near  a  house  may  been  seen  a  small  bench  for  the 
Anitos  to  repose  on.  and  a  dish  of  rice  or  other  food  for 
their  refreshment.  The  Igorrotes  believe  that  there  are 
two  places  where  the  souls  of  the  dead  travel  to.  One  is 
an  agreeable  residence  provided  with  everything  necessary 
to  happiness,  and  is  for  the  spirits  of  those  who  have  died 

S  2 


26o      THE  INHABITANTS  OF    THE   PHILIPPINES 


a  natural  death.  But  if  they  have  been  evil-doers,  such  as 
robbers  or  murderers,  and  have  escaped  due  punishment 
on  earth,  they  are  punished  here  by  the  other  souls  before 
being  allowed  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  the  place.  But 
the  souls  of  brave  warriors  killed  in  battle,  and  of  women 
who  have  died  in  child-birth,  arrive  at  a  much  more  desir- 
able place,  a  real  heaven,  and  reside  amongst  the  gods. 

The  Igorrotes  of  Cabugalan  in  Lepanto  regard  eels  as 
the  embodiment  of  their  ancestors  ;  they  will  not  catch 
them  or  do  them  any  harm,  but  feed  them  when  oppor- 
tunity offers.  The  Asiteras  assist  at  feasts  and  make 
invocations  and  propose  toasts  which  are  drunk  by  the 
men  present.  The  private  or  family  feasts  are  called 
Biimaguil,  being  held  in  the  giver's  house  or  courtyard, 
but  public  entertainments  or  feasts  of  the  whole  village  are 
called  Regnas,  and  are  held  in  or  in  front  of  the  Balta-oa  or 
Town  Hall.  They  are  preceded  and  followed  by  songs  and 
dances.  The  songs  are  inharmonious  and  monotonous. 
The  dances  vary  with  the  localities.  In  one  dance  bowing 
to  the  beer-mugs  is  a  feature.  As  amongst  other  Malay 
races,  ordeals  are  in  fashion  to  decide  disputes.  One  con- 
sists in  a  priest  or  chief  scratching  the  scalps  of  the  dispu- 
tants with  a  small  iron  fork.  Whoever  loses  most  blood 
during  this  operation  has  lost  his  case.  The  Igorrottes 
work  hard  at  their  agriculture,  and  their  rice-farming  is 
excellent.  They  plough  the  valleys  with  the  aid  of  buffaloes 
and  terrace  the  hillsides,  which  they  cultivate  by  hand. 
They  burn  down  the  pine-forests  to  clear  the  hills.  They 
irrigate  where  possible,  carrying  the  canals  over  any  ravine 
by  means  of  rude  aqueducts.  They  grow  considerable 
quantities  of  tobacco,*  which  is,  however,  of  inferior  quality. 
This  they  sell  to  the  civilised  natives,  and  it  is  exported.  I 
suppose  it  goes  to  Hamburg  to  make  German  Havana 
cigars,  just  as  conger  eels  go  to  Paris  to  make  fillets  of 
soles.  They  cultivate  sweet  potatoes,  also  the  ordinary 
potatoes,  which  grow  well,  and  although  small,  are  much 
prized  in  Manila,  and  meet  with  a  ready  sale.  The  Igor- 
rottes of  Lepanto  eagerly  seek  new  seeds  to  plant.  It  is 
strange  that  an  agricultural  people  like  this  should  have 
little  or  no  idea  of  breeding  cattle,  but  instead  of  doing  so, 
they  purchase  from  the  Ilocanos  and  others  cattle,  horses, 
and   pigs   for  consumption,  paying   good  prices  for  them. 

*  They  sell  about  25,000  bales  per  annum. 


11', 'a.,    f.     -6,. 


WEAPONS    OF    THE     HIGHLANDERS     OF     LUZON. 


IGORROTES:    DIALECTS  261 

They  even  buy  dogs  to  eat.  I  have  been  assured  by 
Mr.  Ernest  Heald,  formerly  British  Vice-Consul  at  Sual, 
that  he  has  often  seen  Igorrotes  returning  to  the  hills  from 
Dagupan,  leading  strings  of  dogs,  which  they  had  purchased 
for  food  at  prices  varying  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents, 
and  that  the  dogs  seemed  to  have  an  instinctive  idea  what 
they  were  being  taken  away  for.  The  cooking  of  the 
Igorrotes  is  abominable,  especially  their  way  of  cooking 
meat.  It  would  not  obtain  the  approval  of  Brillat  Savarin. 
They  seem  to  have  no  objection  to  eating  it  putrid,  and 
their  robust  constitutions  apparently  prevent  their  suffering 
from  ptomaine  poisoning.  The  most  remarkable  charac- 
teristic of  the  Igorrotes  is  their  skill  as  smiths,  miners,  and 
metallurgists.  Their  forges  are  not  usually  in  their  villages, 
but  are  hidden  away  in  the  forest  ;  they  use  piston-blowers 
instead  of  bellows,  and  charcoal  as  fuel.  Their  lance-heads, 
swords,  and  other  weapons  are  well  shaped  and  of  excellent 
quality.  They  worked  the  copper  ores  of  Mancayen  in 
Lepanto  very  successfully.  From  official  documents  it 
appears  that  from  1840  to  1855  they  sold  on  an  average 
each  year  about  nineteen  tons  of  copper,  either  in  ingots  or 
manufactured.  Then  a  Spanish  Company  took  up  the 
work  and  ignominiously  failed.  Gold  mining  and  washing 
was  formerly  a  monopoly  of  the  nobles,  and  the  washing  is 
so  still  to  some  extent.  For  centuries,  and  long  before  the 
Spanish  conquest,  the  Igorrotes  have  brought  down  gold 
to  trade  with  the  coast  natives.  Such  particulars  as  are 
known  to  me  about  Igorrote  mining,  smelting,  and  gold- 
washing,  will  be  found  under  the  headings  Gold,  Copper, 
Iron,  in  Chapter  XVI. 

I  have  added  to  this  account  of  them  a  list  of  such  of 
their  manufactures  as  I  have  seen  or  could  learn  of,  and  in 
most  instances  I  have  given  the  Igorrote  name.  The 
Igorrotes  have  several  dialects,  so  that  the  names  of  the 
various  articles  may  vary  according  to  the  locality.  Here- 
with a  list  of  the  dialects  and  the  places  where  each  is 
spoken,  taken  from  Spanish  official  sources. 

Dialect.  Locality. 

Benguetano.  The  greater  part  of  Benguet. 

Igorrote.  Lepanto. 

Igorrote  del  Abra.  Five  villages  of  Bontoc. 

Igorrote  de  la  Gran  Cordillera.  By  the  reduced  Igorrotes  and  the 

independent  tribes  of  the  Cara- 
ballo. 

Igorrote  Suflin.  In   fifteen   villages   of  that  Cor- 

dillera. 


262     THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Many  of  the  Principales  or  head-men  and  others  under 
Spanish  influence  speak  and  write  Ilocano,  which  they  find 
necessary  for  their  trade  with  that  people.  More  than 
twenty  years  ago  there  were  seven  schools  in  Lepanto  regu- 
larly attended  by  five  hundred  and  sixty-two  children,  of 
whom  one  hundred  and  ten  could  then  read  and  write 
Spanish.  No  doubt  by  this  time  these  schools  have  con- 
siderably increased. 

I  am  much  impressed  by  the  great  industry  of  these 
people  and  with  the  great  skill  they  show  in  everything 
they  undertake.  It  is  therefore  disappointing  to  read  in 
Foreman's  book 'The  Philippine  Islands,'  p.  213  :  "Like all 
the  races  of  the  Philippines,  they  are  indolent  to  the 
greatest  degree."  Foreman  goes  on  to  say,  Polygamy 
seems  to  be  permitted,  murders  are  common,  their  huts 
are  built  bee-hive  fashion,  they  keep  a  Dr.  and  Cr.  account 
of  heads  with  the  Negritos.  All  this  is  probably  in  conse- 
quence of  accepting  idle  stories  as  facts,  and  is  nothing  less 
than  a  libel  on  the  Igorrotes.  A  people  who  believe  in  a 
Supreme  Being,  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  in  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  in  an  upper  and  lower  heaven,  in  punish- 
ment after  death,  if  it  has  been  evaded  in  life,  who  are 
strict  monogamists,  and  who  have  a  high  behef  in  the 
sacredness  of  the  marriage  tie  ;  a  people  who  guard  the 
chastity  of  their  daughters  as  carefully  as  the  British  or 
the  Americans ;  a  people  physically  strong,  brave,  skilful, 
and  industrious,  have  nothing  in  common  with  the  wretches 
Foreman  described  under  their  name.  These  people  live 
in  the  fairest  and  healthiest  parts  of  Luzon,  no  fevers  lurk 
amongst  those  pine-clad  mountains,  no  sultry  heats  sap  the 
vital  powers.  What  an  opportunity  for  a  grand  missionary 
enterprise !  What  a  noble  material  to  work  on,  every 
condition  seems  favourable.  The  very  fact  of  their  rejec- 
tion of  the  form  of  Christianity  presented  to  them,  and 
their  distrust  of  the  Spaniards,  may  influence  them  in 
favour  of  some  simpler  doctrine.  I  shall  feel  well  repaid 
for  my  labour  in  describing  these  people,  if  the  truthful 
picture  I  have  attempted  to  present  of  them  should  interest 
those  who  have  the  means  and  the  will  to  inaugurate  a  new 
era,  to  help  them  along  the  Path.  A  perusal  of  what  the  old 
chroniclers  say  about  them  convinces  me  that  they  have 
done  much  themselves  to  improve  their  moral  condition, 
and  that  many  detestable  customs,  at  all  events  attributed 
to  them,  have  long  since  been  relegated  to  oblivion. 


IGORROTES :    MANUFACTURES 


263 


I  now  give  a  list  of  the  Missions  in  the  Igorrote  and 
Tinguian  territory  that  existed  in  1892, 

Missions  in  Tinguian  and  Igorrote  Territory. 
1892. 


Province. 

Town. 

Population. 

Missionaries. 

Rev.  Father— 

/Pidigan. 

2,418 

P.  Omia, 

Bucay. 

3,688 

J.  Lopez. 

La  Paz  y  San  Gregorio. 

2,802 

P.  Fernandez. 

Abra      .      . 

1  Villavieja. 

1,912 

M.  Fonturbel. 

Bangued. 

8,702 

A.  Perez. 

Tayum. 

3,064 

L.  Vega. 

VDolores. 

2,522 

F.  Franco. 

Lepanto 

Cervantes  y  Cayan. 

2,200 

A.  Oyanguren. 

Benguet  ^    . 

La  Trinidad  y  Galiano. 

S49 

(T.  Garcia. 
VR.  Rivera. 

28,157 

All  the  inhabitants  of  these  towns  and  villages  are 
Christians,  and  either  they  or  their  ancestors  were  baptised 
by  missionaries  of  the  Augustinian  order. 


Some  Manufactures  of  the  Igorrotes. 


Native  Name. 

Say-ang 
Talibon 

Ligua,  or  Aligua  . 

Calasdg  or  Caldta 

Bunneng 

Sayac  or  Dayac    . 


Gay-ang 


Alpilan  or  Sacupit 
Lagpi  . 


Weapons. 

Lance,  for  war  or  for  killing  deer. 
Short  double-edged  sword. 
("Axe    used    for    decapitating    the    fallen 
\     enemy. 
Long  narrow  wooden  shields. 
Wood  knife. 
Sharp  bamboo  spikes  to  be  set   in  the 

paths. 
Bows  and  arrows  (the  Igorrotes  possess 

these,  but  are  not  skilful  archers). 
Clubs. 
Javelins  (favourite  weapons  of  Igorrotes). 

Accoutrements, 

Knapsacks. 
Haversacks. 
Saddles, 
Bridles. 


264     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Rangdn 
Baot    . 

Upit    . 

Sac-dcy 
Bariques 

Balques 


Native  Name. 


Saddle-bags. 

Whips. 

fPouch    for    medicine    and    antidote  for 
\     snake  bite. 

Uniform  or  war  jackets. 

Chief's  sword  belt. 

I  Ancient  sword  belts  used  by  their  an- 
cestors are  preserved  as  heirlooms  in 
the  family. 


Tacoco 

Suebong 

Sachong 

Calogdn  or  catloc6n 

Sarquet  or  Barguet 

Loc-bo 

Olei  or  UMs 

Cobal  . 

Baag  or  Bahaque. 

Palingay 

Atten 

Tachun 
An-nanga     . 


Ampaya,  Samit 

Barique  or  canes 

Baquet 

Bade  . 


Clothing. 

Hat  made  of  rattan  for  head-men. 
„    for  married  men. 
„     „    bachelors,  woven  from  cane. 
„     „    women. 
„     ,,    chiefs. 
(■    „    made  of  rattan  and  cane  used  by 
\     Christian  Igorrotes. 
Headcloth  used  by  head-men. 
Caps. 

Cloaks  or  plaids. 
Loin-cloth  of  bark  or  cotton. 
Aprons. 

„       for  women. 
fSkirts    used    by    head-men's    wives    or 
\    daughters. 

(Waterproof  hoods  to  cover  the  head  and 
the  load  carried  on  the  back,  e.g.^  to 
keep  tobacco  dry  in  transit. 
Waterproof  capes  of  Anajas  leaves. 
Sandals. 
Clogs. 
("Tapis,  cloth  worn  by  women  round  the 
\     hips. 
Sashes. 

Woman's  belt  to  hold  up  the  tapis. 
Woman's  shirt. 
Shirts  made  of  the  bark  of  the  pacag. 


Chacang 

Balangat 
Aponque 
Apongont 
Ond     . 
Bariques 


0}'namefits. 

I  A  gold  plate  used  by  head-men  or  chiefs 
to  cover  their  teeth  at  feasts  or  when 
they  present  themselves  to  Europeans 
of  distinction. 
A  coronet  of  rattan. 
Collar  or  necklace. 

A  coronet  of  scented  wood  (candaroma). 
Necklace  of  reeds  and  coloured  seeds. 
„  vertebrce  of  snakes. 


[  To  fucc  p.  264. 

IGORROTE     DRESSES    AND    ORNAMENTS.    WATER-JAR. 
DRIPSTONES,    PIPES.    AND    BASKETS. 


IGORROTES:   MANUFACTURES 


265 


Si  quel 


Native  Name. 


Al-taque 
Garin  . 
Bali     . 

Baney 

Arisud 

Tabin  . 

Bit-jal  or  Bit-hal 

Galaong  or  Galang 

Onon-ipit     . 


Necklace  made  of  seed  of  climbing  plant 
called  Bugayon. 

„  „       white  stones. 

„  ,,      crocodiles'  teeth. 

„  „       boars'  tusks. 

„  „       mother-of-pearl. 

Coronet  of  polished  mother-of-pearl. 
Bangles  or  bracelets  of  copper. 
Arm-rings,  often  of  copper  and  gilt. 
(■Leg  rings  of  nito  and  fibre,  or  of  copper, 
\     used  by  men. 
Ear-rings. 

„        of  copper,  used  by  men. 
Bracelets  of  boars'  tusks. 
Bracelets  of  mother-of-pearl. 

(Necklace  or  collar  of  metal,  having  three 
pendants,  the  centre  one  being  tweezers 
for  pulling  out  hairs,  the  other  two 
instruments  for  cleaning  out  the  ears. 


Gui-pan 

Lodo  . 
Idas     . 

Latoc  . 

Dalela 

Sagatan 

Sarangos-dn 

Labba 

Pidasen        ) 

Tinac-dag    ) 

Alat  or  Minuiniata 

Babaco 

Bigao  . 

Opit-daguil  . 

Opigdn  or  Acuba-quigan 

Cal-culven 

Tapil  . 

Hugones 

Agabin 

Apisang  or  Sacupif 

Sulpac 
Tang-tang    . 

Ting-galon  . 

Pambidn 
Paga-blang  . 
La-labayln  . 


Household  Goods. 

fSmall  knife  for  peeling  roots  and  splitting 
\     cane. 

Ladle  of  cocoa-nut  shell  for  water. 

Wooden  spoons. 

{Large  wooden  dish,  with  receptacles  for 
sauce  and  salt. 
Rice  dish  of  copper. 
Strainer  of  cane  and  rattan. 
Funnel  made  of  a  cocoa-nut  shell. 
Basket  used  for  carrying  provisions. 

Baskets  for  domestic  use. 

Small  basket  for  collecting  eggs. 

Provision  basket. 

Basket  for  cleaning  rice. 

Provision  basket. 

Basket  for  keeping  clothes  in. 

Cane  basket  blackened  by  smoke. 

Small  basket  of  cane. 

Great  baskets  to  hold  rice. 

Creels  for  carrying  fish. 
fLarge  basket  used  for  carrying   tobacco 
\     on  the  back. 

Large  bamboos  for  carrying  water. 

Calabashes  for  measuring  or  holding  dasi. 
fGoblet  of  plaited  cane  used  at  feasts  for 
\     drinking  bast. 

Spinning  wheels. 

Looms. 

Apparatus  for  holding  skeins  of  cotton. 


265     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


Native  Name. 

Qui-tan-gang 

B;ilai-ti-ado 
Ouil-lit 
Ongot . 

Soled  . 

Dapilag 


(Wooden  drainer  for  the  spoons  or  paddles 
used  for    stirring    up    the   basi  when 
brewing  it. 
Rack  to  hold  spoons. 
Earthen  cooking-pot. 
Drinking-cup  for  water. 
|Dish  of  plaited  rattan  for  boiled  camote 
\     (sweet  potatoes). 
Dish  of  plaited  rattan  for  boiled  rice. 


Palting 
Upit    . 

Suput . 

Cuaco. 
Nupit  . 
Sacopit 
Tad  . 
Pamiguin 
Apit  . 
Dubong 
Quidatang 

Sagay  say 


Personal  Effects. 

Pouches  for  tobacco  and  gold. 

Tobacco  pouch  plaited  of  rattan. 
(Purse  made  of  cotton  ornamented  with 
\     copper  wire. 

Pipes  of  wood,  stone,  clay,  or  metal. 

Tobacco  boxes. 

Carved  walking  sticks. 

Umbrellas. 

Pneumatic  tinder-box,  or  fire  squirt. 

Pocket  book  of  cane  and  rattan. 

Deer-skin  pouch  used  when  travelling. 

Case  with  tittings  for  striking  a  light. 
(Combs. 
\Tooth-brushes. 


Tali  . 
Sinal-lapid 
Ratdn  . 
Chi-ay 
Anitos 
Sipas  . 
Disig  . 

Casabang 


Tugas  . 


Miscellaneous. 

Ropes  of  Alinao  bark. 
Ropes  of  Labtang  bark. 
Nets  for  taking  deer  and  pigs. 
Traps  for  taking  jungle-fowl. 
Images  of  the  household  gods. 
Foot-balls  of  rattan. 
Humming  tops. 

(Branch  of  a  tree  used  to  frighten  away 
snakes. 
Hammocks  for  sleeping  or  travelling. 
Throne  for  a  chief  and  his  favourite. 
Harrows. 
I  Ploughs. 
Cradles. 
^  Coffins. 


Sulibao  or  "I 
Culibao      J  ■ 

Quinibal 

Calalen  or      \ 
Bab-balasan  f 


Musical  Instrununts. 

Large  drum,  played  with  one  stick. 

j  Small  drum  held  between  the  knees  and 
(     played  with  two  sticks. 

Flutes  played  by  single  women. 


ANITOS, 
HIGHLANDS    OF    LUZON. 


ANITO    OF   THE    IGORROTES. 


IGORROTE      DRUMS. 


L7-'./acv/.   266. 


IGORRO  TES  :  MAN  UFA  CTURES 


2.67 


Native  Name. 


Cong-gala  or'i 
Tong-gala      / 


Ganza. 


Pinsac 

Bating-ting  or         \ 
Palas-bating-ting  / 

Cingo-cingco 


Palgong-bocancansr 


Flutes  (nose  flutes)  played  by  men. 

! Large  flat  gong  held  in  right  hand,  and 
played  with  left,  vibrations  stopped  with 
right  elbow.  If  a  human  jaw-bone, 
taken  from  a  dead  enemy,  is  fitted  as  a 
handle,  the  value  is  enhanced. 
A  small  gong. 

Triangles  made  of  iron. 

Violin  played  by  single  men. 
/Guitar,  the   body   made  from   cocoa-nut 
\     shell. 

I  Cane  instrument  played  by  the  women 
going  to  and  coming  from  their  work. 
Holding  it  in  the  right  hand,  they  cover 
the  oritice  with  the  index-finger,  and 
strike  the  other  end  on  the  left  hand. 


Native  names  unknown 


Mining  Tools,  etc. 

I  Crow-bars. 
Hammers. 
Wedges. 
Outfit  for  gold  washing. 
Blowers  for  smiths'  forges. 
Furnaces  for  smelting  copper. 


268      THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

Isinays  (ii). 

A  SMALL  tribe  living  in  the  northern  part  of  Pangasinan, 
towards  Mount  Caraballo  del  Sur.  They  are  now  merged 
in  the  Pangasinanes,  and  have  lost  all  distinctive  customs. 

Abacas  (12). 

A  small  tribe  living  about  Caranglan  in  the  South 
Caraballo.  They  were  formerly  fierce  and  warlike,  but 
have  been  pacified  and  converted  to  Christianity.  They 
had  a  separate  language  which  has  died  out,  and  their 
customs  are  now  those  of  the  Christian  natives, 

Italones  (13). 

These  people  live  in  the  south-west  corner  of  Nueva 
Vizcaya,  about  the  head-waters  of  the  River  Magat.  They 
are  numerous,  and  occupy  many  towns  and  villages, 
amongst  them  Bayombong,  Dupax,  Bambang,  and  Aritas. 
They  were  formerly  warlike  head-hunters,  and  are  said  to 
have  devoured  the  hearts  and  brains  of  their  slain  enemies 
in  order  to  inherit  their  courage  and  wisdom.  This  is  a 
Chinese  idea,  and  is  even  now  practised  in  Canton,  where 
pieces  of  the  heart  and  liver  of  a  particularly  hardened  and 
desperate  criminal  are  retailed  by  the  executioner  at  a  high 
price  for  the  above  purpose.  They  wear  their  hair  long 
like  the  Ilongotes.  Their  weapons  were  the  lance,  shield, 
or  wood-knife,  and  in  their  customs  and  religion  they 
resembled  the  Igorrotes.  They  were  said  to  ornament 
the  hilts  of  their  swords  with  the  teeth  of  their  slain 
enemies.  All  these  detestable  customs  have  now  dis- 
appeared ;  they  have  been  converted  to  Christianity,  and 


IBILAOS :    BLOODTHIRSTY  PROPENSITIES       269 


now  are  peaceful  agriculturists  and  hunters.  Game  and 
fish  abound  ;  a  telegraph  line  runs  through  their  territory 
with  a  station  at  Bayombong.  This  is  part  of  the  line 
from  Manila  to  Aparri. 

Ibilaos  (14). 

These  savages  inhabit  the  hilly  country  about  the 
sources  of  the  River  Casepuan,  which,  according  to 
D'Almonte's  map,  is  a  tributary  of  the  River  Casiguran, 
which  runs  into  the  Bay  of  Baler  ;  but,  according  to  Olleros, 
is  a  tributary  of  the  Rio  Grande  de  Cagayan,  However 
this  may  be,  their  habitat  is  on  the  borders  of  Nueva  ficija 
and  Nueva  Vizcaya.  Some  of  these  people  have  been  sub- 
jugated, but  the  others  live  a  nomadic  lif^e  in  the  mountain 
forests,  and  resemble  the  Negritos.  Their  pleasure  is  to 
lie  in  wait  and  shoot  the  passers-by  with  their  arrows. 
Like  the  Italones  they  are  said  to  ornament  their  weapons 
with  the  teeth  of  the  slain,  and,  like  them,  wear  their  hair 
long.  The  independent  Ibilaos  live  by  the  chase,  and  on 
jungle  produce,  and  do  no  cultivation.  They  are  small  of 
stature  and  weak.  It  is  possible  that  they  are  a  hybrid 
Negrito  Malay  race.  Their  bloodthirsty  propensities  make 
them  a  curse  to  their  neighbours. 


Ilongotes  (15). 

The  Ilongotes  inhabit  the  rocky  fastnesses  of  the  range 
of  mountains  on  the  east  coast,  called  the  Caraballo  de 
l^aler,  the  whole  length  of  the  Distrito  del  Principe,  the 
north-east  corner  of  Nueva  Vizcaya  and  a  strip  of  the 
southern  part  of  Isabela. 

Their  neighbours  on  the  east  are  the  Negritos,  who  live 
along  the  sea-shore.  These  people  are  also  their  neighbours 
on  the  north,  where  they  inhabit  the  mountains. 

On  the  west  they  have  the  Ifugaos  in  the  northerly  part 
of  their  boundary,  and  civilised  Indians  of  mixed  races  in 
the  southern  part.  Their  nearest  neighbours  to  the  south 
are  some  scattered  Tagals. 

Blumentritt  describes  them  from  a  photograph  lent  him 
by  Dr.  A.  B.  Meyer,  as  having  eyes  long  and  deeply  sunk, 
upper  lip  and  chin  hairy,  the  hair  long  plaited  in  a  tail,  and 
often   reaching  the  hips.     A   Spanish  authority   describes 


270      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

them  as  similar  to  the  other  hillmen,  but  wearing  long  hair, 
and  dirty  and  disagreeable  in  their  aspect. 

Their  dress  is  as  primitive  as  that  of  the  other  savage 
races,  the  adult  men  wearing  a  band  of  beaten  bark  round 
the  waist,  the  women  wearing  a  tapis,  and  the  children 
going  quite  naked.  They  wear  rings  or  spirals  of  brass 
wire  on  their  arms,  necklaces,  and  other  ornaments.  But 
when  the  men  have  occasion  to  go  into  the  Christian 
villages,  they  wear  shirts  and  trousers.  I  have  myself 
seen  instances  of  this  custom  amongst  the  Tagbanuas  in 
Palawan. 

They  are  clever  smiths  and  know  how  to  temper  their 
weapons.  Their  lances  have  different  shaped  heads,  and 
the  shafts  are  made  of  Palma  Brava.  Their  swords  are 
well-made  and  ornamented,  and  are  carried  in  a  wooden 
scabbard  from  a  belt  of  webbing.  This  appears  to  be  their 
favourite  weapon.  They  never  go  unarmed,  even  for  a  few 
paces,  and  they  sleep  with  their  weapons  beside  them. 
Their  shields  are  of  light  wood,  carved,  and  painted  red. 

Their  domestic  life  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  Christian 
natives,  for  they  are  not  polygamists  ;  they,  however,  are 
more  careless  and  dirty.  They  purchase  their  wife  from 
her  parents.  Tbey  subsist  by  hunting  and  fishing,  and  by 
cultivating  rice,  maize,  sweet  potatoes,  and  other  vegetables. 
They  grow  tobacco,  which  they  exchange  for  other  goods 
with  the  Christian  natives.  They  catch  the  wild  carabaos 
in  traps.  They  are  ineradicably  addicted  to  head-hunting, 
and  wage  a  continual  war  with  all  their  neighbours,  but  if 
an  interval  of  peace  occurs,  they  fight  one  family  or  clan 
against  another,  for  they  must  have  heads.  The  marriage 
ceremony  cannot  be  completed  till  the  bridegroom  has 
presented  the  bride  with  some  of  these  grisly  trophies  ;  heads 
of  Christians  for  choice. 

They  signify  war  by  placing  arrows  in  the  path  and 
sprinkling  blood  upon  it.  Treaties  of  peace,  or  rather 
truces,  are  sometimes  ratified  by  human  sacrifices,  and  the 
ceremony  of  blood-brothership  is  practised. 

They  have  few  religious  practices,  although  they  believe 
in  a  Supreme  Being,  and  in  the  ancestor-worship  common 
to  the  country.  The  relatives  assemble  to  celebrate  a  birth 
by  a  feast.  On  the  fifth  day  a  name  is  given  to  the  infant. 
They  take  care  of  the  sick  and  endeavour  to  cure  them 
with  herbs,  to  which  they  ascribe  medicinal  virtues.  If  the 
patient  dies,  the  relatives  devour  ever>'thing  in  the  house  in 


I  FUG  A  OS:    THEIR  PECULIARITIES  rji 

order  to  mitigate  their  grief,  and  they  bury  the  corpse 
within  twenty-four  hours  of  death,  placing  some  provisions 
upon  the  grave.  From  a  statement  in  a  Spanish  official 
publication,  the  Ilongote  dialect  is  spoken  in  two  towns 
and  twenty-two  rancherias  of  Nueva  Vizcaya,  and  in  four 
rancherias  in  the  district  of  Principe.  This  shows  that  at 
least  on  their  western  border  they  are  now  somewhat  held 
in  check.  But  the  poor  Negritos  still  have  to  suffer  their 
incursions, 

Mayoyaos  a7id  Silipanes  (i6). 

These  people  are  very  numerous,  and  inhabit  the  north- 
west corner  of  Nueva  Vizcaya.  and  the  south-west  corner 
of  Isabela,  between  the  Cordillera  Central  and  the  River 
Magat.  For  neighbours,  they  have  on  the  east  the  Ifugaos, 
those  deadly  lasso-throwers  ;  on  the  west,  the  Igorrotes  are 
separated  from  them  by  the  Cordillera  ;  to  the  north  they 
have  the  Gaddanes,  and  the  Itetapanes,  and  to  the  south 
the  Italones.  In  appearance,  dress,  arms  and  ornaments, 
they  resemble  the  Igorrotes  of  Lepanto.  The  Ifugao 
language  is  spoken  at  the  missions  of  Quiangan  and  Silipan, 
and  in  a  large  number  of  hamlets  of  these  people.  They 
were  pacified  and  converted  to  Christianity  about  half  a 
century  ago,  and  are  gradually  improving  in  civilisation. 

Ifugaos  (17). 

The  Ifugaos,  who  bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  the 
Japanese,  inhabit  a  territory  in  central  Nueva  Vizcaya, 
and  in  the  south  of  Isabela,  mostly  between  the  River 
Magat  and  the  Rio  Grande,  but  they  have  a  great  many 
hamlets  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Magat.  They  cultivate 
rice,  camote,  and  other  crops,  but  prefer  to  live  by  robbery 
whenever  possible.  They  are  persistent  head-hunters, 
frequently  at  war  with  the  neighbouring  tribes,  or  amongst 
themselves. 

One  notable  peculiarity  must  be  mentioned.  Besides 
the  lance,  knife,  and  bow  and  arrows,  they  use  the  lasso, 
which  they  throw  with  great  dexterity.  Lurking  near  a 
trail,  they  cast  the  fatal  coil  over  some  unwary  traveller, 
and  promptly  decapitate  him,  to  add  his  skull  to  their 
collection,  and  decorate  their  hut. 

It  is  their  custom  to  wear  as  many  rings  in  their  ears  a"^ 
they  have  taken  heads. 


272      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Major  Galvez,  after  a  skirmish  with  these  people,  found 
the  corpse  of  one  of  their  warriors  who  wore  thirty-two 
death-rings  in  his  ears. 

Their  religion  is  said  to  be  after  the  style  of  the  Igor- 
rotes,  and  some  other  hill-tribes  of  Luzon.  Their  chief  god 
Cabunian  had  two  sons,  Sumabit  and  Cabigat,  and  two 
daughters,  Buingan  and  Daunguen,  who  married  amongst 
themselves,  and  from  them  the  human  race  is  descended. 
Ancestor-worship  is  also  practised.  The  Spaniards  built 
and  garrisoned  a  chain  of  forts  in  the  Ifugao  territory  to 
keep  them  in  order,  and  of  late  years  their  murderous 
incursions  have  been  kept  in  check.  It  would  require  an 
enquiry  on  the  spot  to  say  whether  there  is  any  prospect 
of  this  tribe  becoming  civilised,  and  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity. 

Gaddanes  (i8). 

The  Gaddanes  occupy  the  north-east  quarter  of  Saltan 
and  Bondoc,  and  their  territory  stretches  over  into  Isabela 
in  a  south-easterly  direction  to  the  River  Magat,  thus 
bordering  on  the  five-mile  strip  of  Ibanag  territory  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande.  The  upper  part  of  the  Rio 
Chico  runs  through  their  Saltan  territory,  and  the  River 
Libug  through  their  Isabela  territory. 

In  appearance  they  are  darker  than  any  other  of  the 
hillmen  of  Luzon.  They  are  not  as  well  built  as  the  Igor- 
rotes.  They  have  round  eyes,  and  large,  flat  noses.  They 
are  very  dirty.  Their  houses  are  built  on  lofty  piles,  and 
the  ladder  is  drawn  up  at  night,  or  in  war  time.  They 
are  partly  converted  to  Christianity,  and  are  of  a  milder 
disposition  than  their  neighbours. 

Itetapanes  (19). 

These  people  live  in  Bontoc,  almost  the  centre  of 
Northern  Luzon.  On  the  west  they  have  the  Busaos 
Igorrotes,  on  the  east  the  Gaddanes,  to  the  north-west  they 
have  the  Guinanes,  and  to  the  south  the  Mayoyaos.  They 
are  more  like  the  Gaddanes  than  any  other  neighbours, 
especially  in  the  eyes  and  hair,  yet  in  other  respects  they 
are  something  like  the  Negritos  in  appearance,  and  much 
more  so  in  their  dispositions  and  customs,  for  it  has  not 
been  possible  to  civilise  them.     Their  arms  are  the  same  as 

# 


GUI  NAMES:   HEAD  HUNTING  273 

the  Busaos,  and,  like  them,  they  wear  a  cyHndrical  shako, 
which  they  dye  a  brilliant  red.  They  appear  to  be  a 
hopeless  race. 

Guinanes  (20). 

These  terrible  neighbours  of  the  peaceful  Tinguianes 
inhabit  both  slopes  of  the  Cordillera  Central  in  Abra  and 
Bontoc.  They  do  not  pass  to  the  west  of  the  River  Abra, 
or  its  affluent,  the  Pusulguan. 

On  the  south  the  Guinanes  have  the  warlike  Busaos, 
who  are  well  able  to  defend  themselves,  and  to  retaliate  on 
their  aggressors.  Consequently,  the  Tinguianes  are  the 
principal  victims  ;  in  fact,  some  years  back,  they  had  no 
peace,  and  are  not  now  free  from  danger. 

The  fame  and  respect  enjoyed  by  a  successful  head- 
hunter  is  the  great  incentive  to  them  to  persevere  in  their 
sanguinary  forays,  which  they  conduct  with  the  greatest 
cunning. 

The  return  of  the  head-hunters  to  their  village  with 
their  ghastly  trophies  is  celebrated  by  prolonged  and 
frantic  orgies — feasting  and  drinking,  singing  war-songs, 
music  and  dancing.  In  fact,  their  rejoicings  only  differ  in 
degree  and  intensity  from  those  customary  in  Christian 
nations  to  celebrate  the  slaughter  of  their  enemies. 

So  fond  are  the  Guinanes  of  getting  heads,  that  when 
not  at  war  with  other  tribes  they  fight  amongst  themselves. 

They  are  much  like  the  Igorrotes,  and,  like  them,  are 
settled  in  towns  and  villages.  They  practise  agriculture, 
and  are  excellent  smiths,  and  forge  specially  good  knives, 
which  are  much  esteemed  by  the  Busaos,  and  find  a  ready 
sale  amongst  them. 

Little  is  known  of  their  manners  and  customs,  or  of 
their  numbers,  since  few  travellers  care  to  run  the  risk 
of  having  their  skulls  added  to  the  collection  of  some 
connoisseur. 

I  cannot  suggest  any  use  this  tribe  could  be  to  the 
United  States,  for  I  do  not  think  the  most  enthusiastic  or 
devoted  missionary  would  hanker  after  being  appointed  to 
convert  them,  and  even  if  such  an  one  could  be  found,  the 
probability  of  his  success  would  be  very  small. 


•r 


274      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Calduas,  or  Itaves  (21). 

A  SMALL  tribe,  living  in  a  strip  of  country  stretching  across 
the  great  loop  formed  by  the  Rio  Chico  de  Cagayan  just 
before  it  enters  the  Rio  Grande.  They  are  peaceful  and 
industrious  cultivators,  and  grow  rice  and  excellent  tobacco. 
In  former  days,  when  the  State  monopoly  was  in  force, 
they  used  to  smuggle  this,  and  were  attacked,  and  their 
plantations  laid  waste  in  consequence.  But  now  they  are 
able  to  trade  freely,  and  must  have  become  prosperous. 
Very  little  is  known  about  them.  The  word  Calauas  is 
also  spelt  Calaguas. 

Camuangas  and  Bayabo>ianes»  (22). 

These  people  live  in  the  southern  part  of  the  province 
of  Cagayan,  say  about  17°  30'  north  latitude.  On  the  north 
they  have  the  Calauas,  or  Calaguas,  and  on  the  south  the 
Dadayags.  D'Almonte's  map  shows  no  hamlets  in  their 
territory,  and  the  nearest  t'isita  is  Gamuasan.  Nothing  is 
known  about  them,  and  Blumentritt  considers  it  not  im- 
probable that  they  are  a  branch  of  the  Dadayags. 

Dadayags  (23). 

A  small  tribe  living  in  the  north-west  comer  of  Isabela, 
not  far  from  the  left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

Nabayuganes  (24). 

These  people,  who  have  a  language  of  their  own,  live  in 
two  long  valleys  extending  from  the  Cordillera  Central 
towards  the  cast.     According  to  D'Almonte's  map,  these 


TINGUIANES :     THEIR  PEACEFULNESS  275 

parallel  valleys  lead  down  to  the  town  of  Malaneg,  and  in 
each  of  them  there  is  a  river.  That  in  the  northern  valley 
is  called  the  River  Nabbuangan,  and  that  in  the  southern 
valley  the  River  Nabbuanguan.  They  join  before  reaching 
Malaneg,  forming  the  River  Nagalat,  a  tributary  of  the  Rio 
Chico  de  Cagayan.  Nothing  is  known  of  their  religion  or 
nature.  On  the  north-east  of  the  Nabayuganes  live  the 
Aripas, 

Aripas  (25). 

This  tribe  inhabits  the  hills  to  the  west  of  the  junction 
of  the  Rio  Grande  and  Rio  Chico  of  Cagayan.  They  have 
the  Apayaos  on  the  west,  the  Ibanags  on  the  east,  the 
Calingas  on  the  north,  and  the  Ilanes  on  the  south.  They 
are  peaceful,  and  partly  converted  to  Christianity. 

Calingas  (26). 

These  people  inhabit  the  mountains  to  the  north  of  the 
Aripas.  On  their  north  and  east  they  have  the  Ibanags, 
and  on  the  west  the  Apayaos.  They  are  supposed  to  have 
a  good  deal  of  Chinese  blood  in  their  veins.  They  are  now 
peaceful,  like  the  Aripas. 

Tinguianes  {2y). 

The  Tinguianes  inhabit  the  western  half  of  the  province 
of  Abra,  and  their  villages  are  thickly  scattered  about  on 
the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Ilocos  mountains,  and  on  the 
banks  of  the  River  Abra.  They  have  also  pushed  their 
way  to  the  extreme  north-east  corner  of  Abra,  and  they 
extend  southwards  and  westwards  along  the  coast  as  far  as 
Punta  Darigayos.  Santiago  is  a  Christian  Tinguian  town, 
and  was  founded  in  1736. 

The  Tinguianes  are  of  a  peaceful  disposition,  and  are 
gradually  becoming  civilised  and  converted  to  Christianity. 
In  fact,  of  late  years,  the  advance  of  the  Spaniards  has  been 
considerable.  It  is  only  in  the  more  remote  parts  of  their 
territory  that  some  of  them  retain  their  independence,  and 
their  ancient  laws,  beliefs  and  customs.  The  constant  inter- 
course they  have  with  the  Ilocanos  has  resulted  in  spreading 
that  dialect  amongst  them,  whilst  their  own  language  is 
dying  out. 

In  appearance  the  Tinguianes  differ  considerably  from 

T  2 


276      THE  INIIABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  other  mountain  tribes  of  Luzon,  being  taller,  and  of  a 
much  lighter  colour.  Their  noses  are  not  flattened  like 
those  of  the  Malays,  but  are  aquiline,  and  remind  one  of 
the  features  of  the  Cholos  of  the  Peruvian  coast.  They 
are  a  cleanly  people  ;  the  men  wear  turbans,  jacket  and 
trousers  ;  the  women  belonging  to  their  nobility  have  their 
garments  beautifully  embroidered.  They  wear  arm-sheaths, 
and  sometimes  leg-sheaths,  made  of  plaited  fibre,  and 
ornamented  with  beads,  or  with  coloured  stones,  brought 
from  the  Batanes  islands,  which  they  purchase  in  Ilocos. 
They  also  wear  necklaces  of  these  stones,  copper  or  silver 
ear-rings,  and  other  trinkets. 

Spanish  writers  consider  these  people  to  have  a  strong 
admixture  of  Chinese  blood,  and  suppose  it  may  be  from  a 
remnant  of  the  pirates  under  Li-ma-hon,  who  were  defeated 
by  Juan  Salcedo  in  1574.  The  learned  Blumentritt,  how- 
ever, dissents  from  this  opinion,  which  he  considers  to  be  a 
modern  invention,  and  gives  Salcedo  credit  for  doing  his 
work  veiy  thoroughly,  and  not  letting  many  of  the  pirates 
escape.  He  says  that,  although  in  dress  and  appearance 
the  Tinguianes  are  very  similar  to  the  fishermen  of  the 
province  of  Fo-Kien,  there  are  no  Chinese  words  to  be 
found  in  their  dialect,  and  that  consequently  the  inter- 
mixture of  Chinese  can  only  have  been  small.  However 
this  may  be,  the  coast  of  Fo-Kien,  which  is  opposite 
Formosa,  is  only  about  500  miles  from  the  Port  of  Vigan, 
the  currents  are  favourable  for  the  southerly  voyage,  and 
sailing  craft  can  cross  in  either  monsoon.  Consequently, 
either  as  traders,  fugitives,  or  castaways,  Fo-Kien  sailors  or 
fishermen  could  easily  have  arrived  on  the  coast. 

The  Tinguianes  assiduously  cultivate  their  land,  and 
irrigate  their  rice-fields  with  some  skill.  They  breed  horses 
and  cattle,  which  they  sell  in  the  markets  of  Ilocos,  as  well 
as  jungle  produce,  wax,  skins  and  gold-dust.  They  raft 
timber  down  the  Abra  River  and  make  for  sale  various 
articles  of  wood,  such  as  bateas,  ladles  and  spoons,  also  they 
make  mats  and  baskets. 

Their  marriages  are  conducted  in  a  similar  manner  to 
those  of  other  tribes,  the  ceremony,  whether  Christian  or 
heathen,  being  followed  by  the  usual  feasts  and  dancing, 
and  music  in  the  intervals  of  eating  and  drinking.  Their 
instruments  are  drums,  flutes  and  guitars.  As  usual,  roast 
pig  is  the  principal  dish,  the  animal  being  roasted  whole  on 
a  spit  of  cane.     When  the  feast  is  over  the  nevvl)'-married 


TINGUIANES:  THEIR   MARRIAGES  277 

couple  are  conducted  to  their  house  by  the  principal  chief 
or  elder.  A  large  mat  being  spread  on  the  gound  they  lie 
down  on  it  keeping  at  a  distance  of  several  feet  from  each 
other.  A  boy  of  six  or  eight  years  of  age  then  lies  down 
between  them,  and  the  elders  retire  leaving  the  trio  together. 
The  bride  and  bridegroom  arc  forbidden  to  indulge  in  any 
caresses,  nor  even  to  speak  to  each  other  till  the  following 
day.  The  healthy  life  led  by  the  women  enables  them  to 
recover  very  rapidly  after  child-birth.  In  fact,  they  return 
to  their  usual  avocations  directly  after  the  ceremony  of 
purification,  which  consists  of  washing  the  newly-born  infant 
in  running  water.  Divorce  among  the  heathen  is  merely  a 
matter  of  paying  a  fine  of  some  thirty  dollars,  in  money  or 
in  kind,  to  the  village  chief  or  elder,  or  to  the  Goberna- 
doreillo,  if  the  village  is  under  Spanish  rule.  Divorce 
is  not  allowed  amongst  those  who  are  converted,  and 
this  must  be  a  great  hindrance  to  their  acceptance  of 
Christianity. 

They  take  little  care  of  the  sick,  and  when  hope  is 
given  up  the  patient  is  left  alone  to  die.  The  Peruvian 
Indians  have  a  similar  custom.  Amongst  the  Serranos, 
when  a  sick  person  does  not  soon  show  signs  of  recovery,  a 
family  meeting  is  called,  and  a  fixed  sum  is  voted  for  his 
cure,  say  twelve  or  twenty  reals.  When  this  amount  has 
been  spent,  the  patient  is  removed  from  his  couch  and  laid 
upon  a  hide  on  the  ground  outside  the  house.  A  child  is 
posted  to  fan  him  and  keep  off  the  flies,  and  only  water  is 
given  him  till  he  dies. 

The  Tinguianes  formerly  buried  their  dead  in  pits  dug 
under  their  houses,  after  subjecting  the  corpses  to  a  baking 
or  drying  process,  and  on  certain  days  in  the  year  food  was 
placed  near  the  tombs  for  the  souls  of  the  dead  to  partake 
of  Those  who  are  converted  have  of  course  to  bury  their 
dead  in  the  cemetery,  and  to  pay  a  fee  to  the  priest. 

They  share  the  idea  that  seems  to  prevail  amongst  all 
Malays,  that  the  soul  is  absent  from  the  body  during  sleep, 
and  that  consequently  it  is  dangerous  and  wicked  to  awake 
anybody  suddenly.  The  most  dreadful  thing  that  can 
happen  to  anybody,  therefore,  is  to  die  whilst  sleeping, 
leaving  his  soul  wandering  about.  Their  most  desperate 
curse  is  to  wish  that  this  may  happen  to  an  adversary. 
This  seems  to  reach  a  higher  level  of  cursing  than  the  oaths 
of  the  Tagals  which  I  have  previously  mentioned.  The 
usual  respect  for  ancestors  is  shown,  and  any  weapons  or 


278      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

ornaments  which  have  belonged  to  them  are  carefully 
preserved  as  valued  heirlooms.  The  names  of  an  ancestor 
must,  however,  on  no  account  be  pronounced  by  his 
descendants,  so  that  if  any  necessity  arises  to  answer  a 
question  which  involves  mentioning  the  name  of  one,  a 
friend  not  related  to  the  person  enquired  about  must  be 
called  in  to  answer. 

Monsieur  de  la  Gironiere  visited  these  people,  and 
describes  them  as  men  of  good  stature,  slightly  bronzed, 
with  straight  hair,  regular  profiles,  and  aquiline  noses. 
The  women  truly  beautiful  and  graceful.  They  appeared 
to  him  to  resemble  the  people  of  the  South  of  France, 
except  for  their  costume  and  language.  The  men  wore  a 
belt  and  a  sort  of  turban  made  from  the  bark  of  the  fig-tree. 
Their  arms  consisted  of  a  long  lance,  a  small  axe,  called 
aligua,  and  a  shield.  The  women  wore  a  belt  and  a  narrow 
apron  which  came  down  to  their  knees,  their  heads  being 
ornamented  with  pearls,  and  grains  of  coral  and  gold  were 
fixed  amongst  their  hair.  The  upper  parts  of  their  hands 
were  painted  blue,  and  they  wore  plaited  sheaths  orna- 
mented with  beads  on  their  fore-arms  ;  these  sheaths 
strongly  compressed  the  fore-arm,  being  put  on  when  the 
women  were  young,  and  they  prevented  the  development 
of  the  fore-arm,  whilst  causing  the  wrists  and  hands  to 
swell.  This  is  a  beauty  amongst  the  Tinguianes  as  the 
little  foot  is  amongst  the  Chinese. 

They  occupied  seventeen  villages,  and  each  family  had 
two  habitations,  one  on  the  ground  for  use  in  the  day,  and 
one  fixed  on  piles  or  on  the  summits  of  lofty  trees,  as  much 
as  sixty  or  eighty  feet  from  the  ground,  where  they  sleep, 
to  protect  themselves  from  the  nocturnal  attacks  of  the 
Guinanes,  their  mortal  and  sanguinary  enemies.  From 
these  lofty  dwellings  they  threw  down  stones  upon  assail- 
ants. In  the  middle  of  each  village  there  is  a  large  shed 
which  serves  for  meetings  and  public  ceremonies.  He 
further  states  that  after  an  attack  of  the  Guinanes  had  been 
repulsed  from  Laganguilan-y-Madalay  by  the  Tinguianes 
he  went  to  an  assembly  at  that  village  and  witnessed  a 
ceremony  in  honour  of  the  victory.  The  heads  of  the  slain 
enemies  were  exhibited  to  the  crowd,  and  various  speeches 
were  made.  The  skulls  were  then  split  open  and  the  brains 
removed  and  given  to  some  young  girls,  who  worked  them 
up  with  their  hands  in  a  quantity  of  basi  or  native  beer. 
The  compound  was  then  served  in  cups  to  the  chiefs,  who 


TINGUIANES :    THEIR    VENERATION  279 

partook  of  it  with  every  appearance  of  enjoyment,  and  was 
afterwards  handed  round  to  all  the  warriors  in  due  order. 
M.  de  la  Gironiere  and  his  Tagal  servant  also  partook  of 
this  refreshment  out  of  politeness  to  their  hosts.  The 
ceremony  was  followed  by  a  dance  and  a  smoking  concert, 
during  which  copious  libations  of  basi  were  consumed. 

M.  de  la  Gironiere  has  omitted  to  mention  how  his  hosts, 
after  this  drunken  orgy,  managed  to  regain  their  elevated 
sleeping  quarters,  sixty  or  eighty  feet  from  the  ground. 
One  would  think  that  the  Tinguian  coroner  would  have  been 
busy  the  next  morning.  He,  however,  docs  tell  us  that, 
being  unable  to  sleep,  he  got  up  in  the  night  and  looked 
about  him,  finding  a  well  or  pit,  which  he  descended.  At 
different  levels  in  this  shaft  were  short  galleries  or  niches, 
and  in  each  of  these  was  a  dried  or  mummified  corpse. 
This  shaft  was  sunk  inside  the  house  where  he  slept. 

He  learnt  from  the  Tinguianes  that  they  believed  in  the 
existence  of  the  soul,  that  it  leaves  the  body  after  death, 
but  remains  in  the  family.  Also  that  they  venerated  any 
strange  object,  such  as  a  rock  or  tree  which  resembled  some 
animal.  They  would  make  a  hut  over  or  near  it,  and 
celebrate  a  feast,  at  which  they  sacrificed  pigs  ;  they  after- 
wards danced  and  drunk  basi,  then  burnt  down  the  hut  and 
retired.  They  had,  he  says,  only  one  wife,  but  might  have 
several  concubines,  who,  however,  did  not  inhabit  the 
conjugal  domicile,  but  each  had  a  hut  of  her  own.  The 
riches  of  a  Tinguian  was  demonstrated  by  the  number  of 
porcelain  vases  he  possessed.  According  to  M.  de  la 
Gironiere,  the  Tinguianes  mummified  their  dead  by  sub- 
jecting them  to  a  long  diying  process.  The  body,  propped 
up  on  a  stool,  was  surrounded  by  braziers  with  charcoal  or 
wood  embers,  and  the  moisture  which  exuded  from  it  was 
wiped  off  by  the  women  with  cotton.  When  the  body  was 
well  dried  up  it  was  kept  above  ground  for  fifteen  days  and 
then  committed  to  the  tomb.  The  neighbours  and  friends 
kept  up  the  wake  and  pronounced  eulogies  on  the  defunct 
until  they  had  consumed  all  the  eatables  and  liquor  in  the 
house,  when  they  took  their  departure. 

These  people  must  have  very  greatly  increased  in 
numbers,  as  the  Spanish  authority  has  extended  its  protec- 
tion to  them,  checking  the  incursions  of  the  Guinanes  and 
other  savages.  It  has  been  stated  that  in  former  years  the 
Tinguianes  were  much  sought  after  as  recruits  for  the 
garrison  of  Manila.     They  do  not  appear  to  be  a  warlike 


28o      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

race,  yet  so  fine  a  body  of  men  ought  to  be  able  to  supply 
a  battalion  of  infantry  for  the  native  army  which  the  United 
States  will  have  to  raise,  for  nobody  can  suppose  that 
25,000  young  Americans  can  be  permanently  kept  in 
garrison  in  the  Archipelago.  But  this  I  discuss  in  another 
chapter. 

Adangs  {28). 

According  to  D'Almonte's  map  in  the  latitude  of 
Pasuquin,  Province  of  Ilocos  Notre,  the  Cordillera  Del 
Norte  bends  to  the  eastward  and  throws  out  a  spur  to  the 
north-west,  forming  a  Y,  and  enclosing  a  considerable 
valley,  through  which  runs  a  river  called  the  Bate,  Bucarog, 
or  Admit,  which  falls  into  the  Bay  of  Bangui.  This  is  the 
habitat  of  the  Adangs,  a  small  tribe,  yet  a  nation,  for 
their  language  has  no  resemblance  to  that  of  any  of 
their  neighbours.  Their  customs  are  nearer  those  of  the 
Apayaos  than  any  other.  They  are  civilised  and  have 
been  Christians  for  generations.  Their  chief  town  is  Adan 
or  Adam. 

Apayaos  (29). 

This  race  was  formerly  very  warlike,  but  is  now  more 
civilized,  and  many  even  converted  to  Christianity.  They 
inhabit  the  mountainous  region  round  about  the  River 
Apayao,  on  the  east  of  the  Cordillera  del  Norte  and  extend 
down  towards  the  plains  of  the  Rio  Chico. 

They  pay  some  attention  to  agriculture,  and  besides 
growing  vegetables  and  maize  for  their  own  use,  they  raise 
tobacco  and  cacao  which  they  trade  away  to  the  Ilocanos  in 
exchange  for  such  articles  as  they  require. 

Their  houses  compare  favourably  with  those  of  the 
other  hill-tribes.  They  are  raised  to  a  considerable  height, 
being  square  in  form  with  heavy  hardw^ood  posts  at  the 
corners.  The  floor  is  made  of  cedar  planks,  the  roof  is 
thatched  with  cogon  or  reeds,  and  the  walls  and  partitions 
are  of  plaited  palm  leaves.  A  fire-place  is  arranged  in  one 
corner.  They  ornament  the  walls  with  remarkable  taste, 
hanging  up  the  ornaments  and  arms  of  their  ancestors, 
which  they  greatly  prize  and  will  not  part  with  for  any 
price. 

They  also  highly  value  Chinese  and  Japanese  pottery 
or  porcelain. 


CATALANGANES  AND  IRAYAS  281 

Needless  to  say  that  the  worship  of  ancestors  is  with 
them  piously  performed. 

They  used  to  be  head-hunters  and  made  the  death  of 
any  of  their  chief  men  an  excuse  to  lie  in  ambush  and 
massacre  any  inoffensive  passers-by  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  the  heads  to  place  round  the  corpse  and  afterwards 
bury  them  with  it. 

However,  the  steady  pressure  of  the  Spanish  authority, 
during  long  terms  of  years,  has  nearly  eradicated  this 
detestable  custom,  and  if  practised  at  all,  it  is  only  in  the 
remoter  fastnesses  of  the  mountains,  where  they  cannot  yet 
be  controlled. 

The  Apayaos  living  in  the  plains  are  mostly  reduced  to 
obedience,  and  many  pay  the  poll-tax. 

It  would  seem  that  there  is  a  prospect  of  these  people 
being  civilised  and  becoming  useful  cultivators. 


Catalanganes  and  Ir ay  as  (30-31). 

The  Irayas  live  in  scattered  hamlets  on  the  summits  of 
the  Sierra  Madre,  and  on  its  western  slopes  righf"  down  to 
the  Rio  Grande.  Their  territory  extends  for  about  twenty 
geographical  miles  on  each  side  of  the  17th  parallel. 
Amongst  them  live  many  Negritos  who  have  renounced 
their  nomadic  life,  and  have  adopted  the  manners  and 
customs  of  their  hosts.  The  tattooing  of  the  Irayas  and 
Negritos  is  similar.  The  Irayas  are  a  Malay  tribe  amongst 
whom  are  found  individuals  of  a  Mongolian  type,  others 
are  hybrid  Negrito  Malays. 

They  do  a  little  slovenly  agriculture,  using  buffaloes  for 
ploughing.  They  catch  an  abundance  of  fish  from  the  four 
considerable  streams  running  through  their  territory.  They 
consume  a  large  quantity  of  fish  with  their  rice,  and  salt 
and  sell  the  surplus  to  their  neighbours.  They  are  charac- 
teristically light-hearted  and  hospitable,  and  readily  receive 
revwntados  and  other  strangers.  Their  religion  is  the  usual 
Anito  worship.  They  build  wretched  houses,  and  arc  very 
dirty  in  their  habits,  throwing  their  refuse  down  in  front  of 
the  house. 

The  Catalanganes  take  their  name  from  the  River 
Catalangan  which  runs  into  the  Rio  Grande  near  Ilagan. 
They  are  a  branch  of  the  Irayas,  but  show  a  more  strongly 
marked  Mongolian  type. 


282      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

They  are  cleaner  than  the  Irayas,  and  more  industrious, 
and  provident,  storing  up  provisions  against  a  bad  harvest. 

Their  fields  are  much  better  kept  than  those  of  the 
Irayas,  and  they  employ  their  spare  time  in  felling  trees 
and  hewing  them  into  canoes,  which  find  a  ready  sale  at 
Ilagan, 

They  dress  much  like  the  Christian  Malays,  but  are 
tattooed  in  patterns  of  Chinese  or  Japanese  origin. 

Their  laws  prescribe  severe  penalties  for  theft  and  other 
crimes.  Their  weapons  are  bows  and  arrows,  and  they  are 
said  to  be  very  cowardly.  Their  choice  of  weapons  con- 
firms this  statement. 

They  differ  much  from  the  Irayas  in  character,  for  they 
are  inhospitable,  avaricious  and  greedy,  and  of  a  gloomy 
disposition.  On  the  other  hand,  they  keep  their  houses 
cleaner. 

They  have  temples  for  worship,  and  some  roughly-made 
monuments.  According  to  Semper,  they  have  two  pairs  of 
gods  which  they  specially  worship  in  June :  Tschichenan, 
with  his  wife  Bebenaugan,  and  Sialo  with  his  wife  Binalinga. 
The  usual  ancestor-worship  also  prevails,  and  they  show 
great  respect  for  the  Anitos  according  to  seniority,  providing 
special  shelters  and  little  benches  near  their  houses  for  their 
convenience. 

Both  Irayas  and  Catalanganes  have  Gobemadorcillos 
appointed  by  the  Spanish  Military  Governor  of  Isabela. 
They  pay  the  poll-tax,  called  by  the  Spaniards  "Acknow- 
ledgment of  Vassalage,"  but  are  otherwise  independent  and 
administer  their  own  laws  and  customs.  They  are  quite 
peaceful,  and  will  doubtless  in  time  advance  in  civilisation. 


(     283    ) 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

Catubangancs  (32). 

A  TRIBE  of  savages  inhabiting  the  mountains  of  Guina- 
yangan  in  Tayabas,  from  whence  they  raid  the  Christian 
villages  and  drive  off  cattle.  Nothing  is  known  about  their 
origin  or  habits ;  they  have  some  wandering  Negritos  as 
neighbours. 

Vicols  (33). 

The  Vicols  inhabit  the  southern  half  of  the  province  of 
Camarines  Norte,  the  whole  of  Camarines  Sur  and  Albay, 
the  islands  of  Catanduanes,  Burias,  and  Ticao,  and  the 
northern  shores  of  Masbate.  They  are  civilised,  and  have 
been  Christians  for  centuries. 

They  speak  a  dialect  of  their  own,  which,  according  to 
Jagor,  is  midway  between  Tagal  and  Visay,  which  dialect 
is  spoken  in  its  greatest  purity  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Isarog  volcano  and  its  immediate  neighbourhood,  and  that 
thence  towards  the  west  the  dialect  becomes  more  and  more 
like  the  Tagal,  and  towards  the  east  like  the  Visay  until  by 
degrees,  before  reaching  the  ethnographical  boundary,  it 
merges  into  those  kindred  languages. 

In  manners  and  customs  they  appear  to  be  half-bred 
between  these  two  races,  yet,  according  to  F.  Blumentritt, 
they  preceded  the  Tagals,  and  were  in  fact  the  first  Malays 
to  arrive  in  Luzon.  They  show  signs  of  intermixture  with 
Polynesian  or  Papuan  stock. 

They  are  physically  inferior  to  the  Tagals,  nor  do  they 
possess  the  proud  warlike  spirit  of  the  dwellers  in  north 
Luzon.     They  are  less  cleanly,  and  live  in  poorer  houses. 

The  men  dress  like  the  Tagals,  but  the  women  wear  the 
patadion  instead  of  a  saya,  and  a  shirt  oi  guindra. 

Blumentritt  says  the  men  carry  the  Malay  kris  instead 


284      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

of  the  bolo,  but  I  did  not  see  a  kris  carried  by  any  one  when 
I  visited  the  province. 

In  fact,  the  regulations  enforced  at  that  time  by  the 
Guardia  Civil  were  against  carrying  such  a  weapon.  The 
bolo,  on  the  other  hand,  is  a  necessary  tool. 

I  visited  the  province  of  Camarines  Sur,  going  from 
Manila  to  Pasacao  by  sea,  and  from  there  travelled  by  road 
to  an  affluent  of  the  River  Vicol,  and  then  by  canoe  on 
a  moonlit  night  to  Nueva  Caceres,  the  capital  of  the 
province. 

Here  I  met  a  remarkable  man,  the  late  Bishop  Gainza, 
and  was  much  impressed  by  his  keen  intellect  and  great 
knowledge  of  the  country. 

He  was  said  to  be  a  man  of  great  ambition,  and  I  can 
quite  believe  it.  Originally  a  Dominican  monk,  it  was 
intended  that  he  should  have  been  made  Archbishop  of 
Manila,  but,  somehow.  Father  Pedro  Paya,  at  that  time 
Procurator  of  the  Order  in  Madrid,  got  himself  nominated 
instead,  and  Gainza  had  to  content  himself  with  the 
bishopric  of  Nueva  Caceres. 

He  was  a  model  of  self-denial,  living  most  frugally  on  a 
small  part  of  his  revenue,  contributing  a  thousand  dollars 
a  year  to  the  funds  of  the  Holy  Father,  and  spending  the 
remainder  in  building  or  repairing  churches  and  schools  in 
his  diocese,  or  in  assisting  undertakings  he  thought  likely 
to  benefit  the  province. 

Amongst  other  works,  I  remember  that  he  had  tried  to 
cut  a  canal  from  the  River  Vicol  to  the  Bay  of  Ragay.  He 
had  excavated  a  portion  of  it,  but  either  on  his  death,  or 
from  the  difficulties  raised  by  the  Public  Works  Depart- 
ment, the  work  was  abandoned. 

The  P>anciscan  friars,  who  held  the  benefices  in  that 
province,  opposed  him,  and  annoyed  him  in  every  possible 
way. 

The  present  bishop,  Father  Arsenio  Ocampo,  formerly 
an  Augustinian  monk,  is  a  clever  and  enlightened  man,  with 
whom  I  had  dealings  when  he  was  Procurator-General  of 
his  Order. 

I  have  made  this  digression  from  my  subject,  because  so 
much  has  been  said  against  the  clergy  of  the  Philippines, 
that  I  feel  impelled  to  bring  before  my  readers  this  instance 
of  a  bishop  who  constantly  endeavoured  to  promote  the 
interests  of  his  province. 

Nueva  Caceres  possessed  several  schools,  a  hospital,  a 


VICOLSi    THEIR  EXPORTS  285 


lepers'  hospital,  and  a  training-college  for  school-mistresses 
had  just  been  established  by  Bishop  Gainza's  initiative. 

The  shops  were  mostly  in  the  hands  of  Chinese,  who 
did  a  flourishing  trade  in  Manchester  goods,  patadoins,  and 
coloured  handkerchiefs. 

There  were  several  Spanish  and  Mestizo  merchants  who 
dealt  in  hemp  and  rice. 

From  Nueva  Caceres  I  travelled  by  a  good  road  to 
Iriga,  a  town  near  the  volcano  of  that  name,  passing  close 
to  the  Isarog  on  my  way.  From  Iriga  I  visited  the  country 
round  about,  and  Lake  Bula. 

Some  years  after  I  went  from  Manila  by  sea  to  Tabaco, 
on  the  Pacific  coast  of  Albay,  getting  a  fine  night  view  of 
the  Mayon  volcano  (8272  feet)  in  violent  eruption. 

From  Tabaco  I  drove  to  Tivi  and  visited  the  celebrated 
boiling-well  and  hot-springs  at  that  place,  much  frequented 
by  the  natives,  and  sometimes  by  Europeans,  for  the  cure 
of  rheumatism  and  other  diseases. 

Now  that  the  Stars  and  Stripes  float  over  the  Philippines 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  regular  sanatorium  will  be  erected 
at  this  beautiful  and  health-restoring  spot,  the  advantages 
of  which  might  attract  sufl"erers  from  all  the  Far  East. 

On  these  journeys  I  had  a  good  opportunity  of  studying 
the  people.  The  chief  exports  are  Abaca  (Manila  hemp), 
and  rice.  In  Camarines  Sur  the  principal  crop  is  rice,  whilst 
in  Albay  the  hemp  predominates,  and  they  import  rice. 

The  cultivation  of  rice,  which  I  have  briefly  described 
when  writing  of  the  Tagals,  is  not  an  occupation  calculated 
to  improve  the  minds  or  bodies  of  those  engaged  in  it,  and 
I  have  noticed  that  wherever  this  is  the  staple  crop  the 
peasantry  are  in  a  distinctly  lower  condition  than  where 
cane  is  planted  and  sugar  manufactured.  Their  lives  are 
passed  in  alternate  periods  of  exhausting  labour  and  of 
utter  idleness,  there  is  nothing  to  strive  for,  nothing  to 
learn,  nothing  to  improve.  The  same  customs  go  on  from 
generation  to  generation,  the  same  rude  implements  are 
used,  and  the  husbandman  paid  for  his  labour  in  kind  lives 
destitute  of  comfort  in  the  present,  and  without  hope  for 
the  future. 

Nor  can  the  cultivation  and  preparation  of  hemp  be 
considered  as  a  much  more  improving  occupation. 

Little  care,  indeed,  is  required  by  the  Musa  tcxtilis 
after  the  first  planting,  and  the  cleaning  of  the  fibre  is  a 
simple  matter,  but  very  laborious. 


286      THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Several  Spaniards  are  settled  in  these  provinces,  also  a 
few  agents  of  British  houses  in  Manila,  and  some  Chinese 
and  Mestizos.  They  usually  complain  bitterly  of  the 
difficulty  they  experience  in  getting  hemp  delivered  to 
them  owing  to  the  laziness  and  unpunctuality  of  the 
natives. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  this,  most  of  them  live  in  affluence 
and  some  have  amassed  fortunes  by  Vicol  labour.  There 
is,  in  fact,  a  good  deal  of  money  in  Albay,  Daraga,  and 
other  towns  in  the  hemp  districts,  and  they  are  the  happy 
hunting-ground  of  the  Jew  pedlar  who  there  finds  a  good 
market  for  yellow  diamonds  and  off-colour  gems  unsaleable 
in  London  or  Paris.  Houndsditch  and  Broadway  will  do 
well  to  note. 

The  peasantry,  however,  either  from  improvidence  or 
aversion  to  steady  labour,  seem  to  be  rather  worse  off  than 
the  Tagals  and  Pampangos,  more  especially  those  amongst 
them  who  cultivate  paddy. 

The  whole  of  the  large  amount  of  hemp  exported  from 
Manila  and  Cebu  is  cleaned  by  hand. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  employ  machinery, 
but  the  inherent  conditions  of  the  industry  are  unfavourable 
to  success  in  this  line. 

The  plants  are  grown  principally  on  the  eastern  slopes 
of  the  volcanic  mountains  of  Southern  Luzon,  and  the 
adjacent  islands  where  the  soil  is  soft  and  friable  and  roads 
are  unknown. 

The  heavy  stems  of  the  plants  cannot  profitably  be 
conveyed  to  fixed  works  for  treatment,  and  no  machine  has 
yet  been  devised  light  enough  to  be  carried  up  to  the  Idles 
or  plantations  and  able  to  compete  with  hand  labour.  In 
a  recent  report  to  the  British  North  Borneo  Company, 
Mr.  W.  C.  Cowie  mentions  his  hopes  that  Thompson's 
Fibre  Company  are  about  to  send  out  a  trial  decorticator, 
with  engine  and  boiler  to  drive  it,  to  the  River  Padas,  in 
that  company's  territories,  for  cleaning  the  fibre  of  the 
numerous  plants  of  the  Ahisa  textilis  growing  in  that 
region.  It  will  be  interesting  to  learn  the  result.  Possibly 
the  conditions  of  transport  by  rail  or  river  are  more 
favourable  than  in  the  Philippines,  and  in  that  case  a 
measure  of  success  is  quite  possible.  But  few  errors 
are  more  expensive  than  to  unwarrantably  assume  that 
machinery  must  necessarily  be  cheaper  than  hand  labour. 
Anyhow,   as   regards   the   Philippines    here    is   a   nice 


VICOLS    PREPARING     HEMP. 


CUTTING    THE    PLANT, 


ADJUSTING    UNDER    THE    KNIFE. 


SEPARATING    THE     PETIOLES. 


[/V/iiif  />.    237. 


VICOLS:    HEMP-CLEANING  287 

little  problem.  If  the  mechanics  of  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut  cannot  solve  it,  I  do  not  know  who  can. 

The  Vicol  labourers  proceed  to  the  Idtes  in  couples, 
carrying  their  simple  and  efficient  apparatus,  all  of  which, 
except  the  knife,  they  make  themselves. 

One  man  cuts  down  the  plant,  removes  the  outer 
covering,  and  separates  the  layers  forming  the  stem, 
dividing  them  into  strips  about  one  and  a  half  inches 
wide,  and  spreading  them  out  to  air. 

The  other  man  standing  at  his  bench,  takes  a  strip  and 
places  the  middle  of  it  across  the  convex  block  and  under 
the  knife,  which  is  held  up  by  the  spring  of  a  sapling  over- 
head. Then,  placing  one  foot  on  a  treadle  hanging  from 
the  handle  of  the  knife,  he  firmly  presses  the  latter  down  on 
the  block.  It  should  be  explained  that  the  knife  is  not 
sharp  enough  to  cut  the  fibres.  Firmly  grasping  the  strip 
in  both  hands,  and  throwing  his  body  backwards,  he  steadily 
draws  the  strip  towards  him  till  all  the  fibre  has  passed  the 
knife  ;  then,  removing  his  foot  from  the  treadle,  the  knife  is 
lifted  from  the  block  by  the  spring,  leaving  the  pulp  and 
waste  behind  it.  Sweeping  this  off,  he  reverses  the  half- 
cleaned  strip,  and  twisting  the  cleaned  fibre  round  one 
hand  and  wrist,  and  grasping  it  also  with  the  other,  he 
draws  the  part  he  formerly  held,  under  the  knife,  pressing 
the  treadle  with  the  foot  as  before,  and  thus  completes  the 
cleaning  of  one  strip.  The  fibre  is  often  six  feet  long,  and 
only  requires  drying  in  the  sun  to  be  marketable. 

A  man  is  able  to  clean  about  twenty-five  pounds  of 
hemp  per  day,  and  receives  one  half  of  it  for  his  labour. 

He  usually  sells  his  share  to  his  employer  for  a  trifle 
under  the  market  price. 


288      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE   CHINESE   IN   LUZON. 
Mestizos  or  half-breeds. 

When  Legaspi  founded  the  city  of  Manila,  in  1571,  he 
found  that  Chinese  junks  frequented  the  port,  and  carried 
on  a  trade  with  Tondo  and  the  other  native  towns. 

Three  years  later,  the  Chinese  pirate,  Li-ma-hon,  made 
an  attack  on  the  new  city  with  a  force  of  2000  men  in 
ninety-five  small  vessels,  but  was  repulsed. 

In  1603,  the  Chinese  in  Manila,  under  Eng-cang,  rose 
against  the  Spaniards,  and  entrenched  themselves  in  the 
suburbs.  The  Spaniards  failed  in  the  first  assault  with 
heavy  loss,  but  ultimately  the  Chinese  were  defeated,  and 
23,000  were  massacred,  the  few  remaining  being  made 
galley-slaves.  In  1639,  another  insurrection  of  the  Chinese 
occurred  and  again  some  23,000  were  massacred. 

In  1662,  in  consequence  of  the  Chinese  pirate  Cong- 
seng  demanding  tribute  from  the  governor  of  the  Philip- 
pines, a  decree  was  made  that  all  Chinese  must  leave. 
The  Chinese,  however,  refused,  and  entrenched  themselves 
in  the  Parian,  or  market-place,  outside  the  walls.  They 
were  attacked,  and  many  thousands  were  killed.  A  body 
of  2000  endeavoured  to  march  north,  but  were  massacred 
by  the  Pampangos. 

In  1762,  when  Manila  was  taken  by  the  forces  of  the 
Honourable  East  India  Company,  the  Chinese  eagerly 
joined  in  the  plundering.  It  having  been  rumoured  that 
the  Chinese  intended  to  join  the  British  forces,  Don  Simon 
de  Anda  condemned  them  all  to  death,  and  most  of  them 
were  hung,  their  property  passing  to  their  executioners. 

In  1820,  there  occurred  the  fifth  and  last  massacre  of 
the  Chinese,     The  mob  of  Manila  took  advantage  of  the 


CHINESE  IN  LUZON  289 

abject  cowardice  of  the  acting-governor,  General  Folgueras, 
and  of  other  authorities,  and  for  hours  vented  their  spite  on 
the  unhappy  Chinamen,  showing  them  no  mercy,  and 
carrying  off  their  goods. 

Since  that  time  no  general  massacre  has  taken  place, 
but  such  is  the  dislike  of  the  natives  to  the  Chinese,  that 
these  latter  would  have  been  quickly  exterminated  if  the 
Spanish  Government  had  failed  at  any  time  to  protect 
them. 

The  Chinese  are  mostly  herded  together  in  Manila,  and 
in  some  of  the  larger  towns.  Some  few  venture  to  keep 
stores  in  the  villages,  and  others  travel  about  at  the  risk  of 
their  lives  in  the  sugar,  hemp  and  tobacco  districts,  as 
purchasers  and  collectors  of  produce. 

I  consider  that  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  do  this, 
for  the  invariable  result  of  their  interference  is  to  reduce 
the  quality  of  everything  they  handle.  Their  trade  is 
based  upon  false  weights  and  measures,  and  upon  adultera- 
tion, or  insufficient  preparation  of  the  produce.  They  are 
very  patient  with  the  natives,  and  this  gives  them  a  very 
great  advantage  over  a  European,  even  if  the  latter  is  used 
to  Eastern  ways.  An  American  would  probably  have  less 
patience  than  any  European  in  negotiating  a  purchase  of 
produce  from  an  up-country  native ;  the  waste  of  time 
would  exasperate  him.  I  feel  sure  that  most  of  those  who 
know  the  Philippines  will  agree  with  me  as  to  the  evil 
results  of  the  operations  of  the  Chinese  produce-brokers. 
Adulterated  sugar,  half-rotten  hemp,  half-cured  tobacco, 
badly-prepared  indigo — that  is  what  the  Chinaman  brings 
in.  He  spoils  every  article  he  trades  in,  and  discredits  it  in 
the  world's  markets. 

The  Chinese  nowhere  cultivate  the  soil,  except  the 
gardens  and  market-gardens  around  Manila,  and  a  few  of 
the  large  towns. 

This  is,  perhaps,  not  due  to  their  unwillingness  to  do  so, 
but  because  they  dare  not  ;  the  natives  are  too  jealous  of 
them,  and  their  lives  would  not  be  safe  away  from  the 
towns. 

Their  genius  is  commercial,  and  they  are  at  home  in 
shop,  bazaar,  or  office.  I  think  that  the  Chinese  agri- 
culturist does  not  leave  his  home  for  the  Philippines. 
Most  of  those  in  the  islands  come  from  Amoy,  and  the 
district  round  that  port.  Some  few  are  from  Macao  ;  they 
seem  to  be  all  townsmen,  not  countrymen.     Each  shop- 

U 


290      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

keeper  has  several  assistants,  ranging  in  age  from  boys  of 
ten  or  twelve  upwards.  On  arrival,  they  are  placed  in  a 
sort  of  school — a  very  practical  one — to  learn  Spanish  ;  for 
instance,  numbers  and  coins,  with  such  terms  as  Muy 
barato — very  cheap.  As  a  Chinaman  cannot  pronounce 
the  letter  R,  but  substitutes  L,  this  becomes  Muy  balato. 
Thus,  also,  the  Roo-Kiu  Islands  become  the  Loo-Chew 
Islands,  in  Chinese. 

The  Chinaman  is  an  excellent  shop-keeper  or  pedlar, 
and  some  years  ago,  the  British  importers  of  Manchester 
goods  made  it  a  practice  to  give  credit  for  goods  supplied 
to  the  Chinese  ;  the  banks  also  extended  some  facilities  to 
them.  In  consequence,  however,  of  heavy  losses  to  several 
British  firms,  this  custom  has  been  abandoned,  or  con- 
siderably restricted. 

The  Chinese  are  good  barbers,  cooks  and  gardeners. 
As  breeders  of  fish  they  are  unrivalled.  Besides  this  they 
compete  successfully  with  the  Tagal  in  the  following 
trades  :  blacksmiths,  boiler-makers,  stokers,  engine-drivers, 
ship  and  house  carpenters,  boat-builders,  cabinet-makers 
and  varnishers,  iron  and  brass-founders,  shoe-makers,  tin- 
smiths. These  artisans  are  very  industrious,  and  labour 
constantly  at  their  trades.  Their  great  feast  is  at  the 
Chinese  New  Year,  which  occurs  in  February,  when  they 
take  about  a  week's  holiday,  and  regale  themselves  on 
roast  pig,  and  other  delicacies,  making  also  presents  of 
sweets,  fruits,  and  Jocchiu  hams,  to  their  patrons  and 
customers. 

There  are  Chinese  apothecaries  in  Manila,  but  they  are 
mostly  resorted  to  by  their  own  countrymen,  and  their 
awful  concoctions  are  nasty  beyond  belief  They  deal 
largely  in  aphrodisiacs. 

Some  Chinese  doctors  practise  in  Manila,  and  are  said 
to  make  wonderful  cures,  even  on  patients  given  up  by  the 
orthodox  medicos.  They  feel  the  pulse  at  the  temporal 
artery,  or  else  above  the  bridge  of  the  nose. 

They  used  to  suffer  a  good  deal  from  the  jealousy  of 
the  Spanish  practitioners,  and  were  persecuted  for  practising 
without  a  qualification. 

Large  numbers  of  Chinese  coolies  are  employed  in 
Manila  handling  coal,  loading  and  unloading  ships  and 
lighters,  pressing  hemp,  drying  sugar,  and  in  other  work 
too  hard  and  too  constant  for  the  natives. 

The  number  of  Chinese  in  Luzon  has  been  variously 


CHINESE  IN  LUZON  291 

estimated  at  from  30,000  to  60,000  men,  and  two  or  three 
hundred  women.  The  anonymous  author  of  '  Filipinas — 
Problema  Fundamental'  (Madrid,  1891),  gives  the  number 
of  Chinese  in  the  whole  Archipelago  as  125,000,  and  he 
evidently  had  access  to  good  information.  The  fact  is 
nobody  knows,  and  in  all  probability  the  Spanish  authorities 
had  an  interest  in  understating  the  number. 

The  Chinese  were  organised  quite  separately  from  the 
natives.  Wherever  their  numbers  were  considerable,  they 
had  their  own  tribunal,  with  a  Gobernadorcillo  and  Prin- 
cipales,  the  former  called  the  Capitan-China. 

In  Manila,  this  Capitan  was  a  man  of  importance,  or  else 
the  nominee  of  such  a  person.  Certain  governors-general 
received,  nay,  even  extorted,  large  sums  from  the  Capitan- 
China.  Weyler  is  said  to  have  been  one  of  these  offenders, 
but  Jovellar  caused  the  Capitan-China  to  be  turned  out  of 
Malacaiian  for  offering  him  a  present.  No  one  who  knew 
them  would  ever  believe  that  Moriones  or  Despujols  would 
condescend  to  accept  presents  from  the  Chinamen.  One 
favourite  trick  of  the  more  corrupt  governors-general  was 
to  have  some  very  obnoxious  law  made  in  Spain  ;  for 
instance,  obliging  the  Chinese  to  become  cabezas-de- 
barangay,  or  responsible  tax-collectors  of  their  own  country- 
men, and  then  extort  a  ransom  for  not  putting  the  law  in 
force.  Weyler  was  said  to  have  received  jfjSo.ooo  from  the 
Chinese  on  this  account,  but  some  of  this  would  have  to  go 
to  Madrid. 

At  another  time  it  was  proposed  that  the  Chinese 
should  be  obliged  to  keep  their  accounts  in  Spanish  on 
books  having  every  leaf  stamped,  and  that  every  firm 
should  employ  a  trained  accountant  who  had  passed  an 
examination  in  book-keeping,  and  obtained  a  diploma  as  a 
commercial  expert.  What  it  cost  the  Celestials  to  avoid 
this  infliction  I  do  not  know. 

Amidst  all  this  extortion  from  the  Spaniard,  and  not- 
withstanding the  ever-present  hatred  of  the  native,  the 
Manila  Chinaman  is  a  sleek  and  prosperous-looking  person, 
and  seems  cheerful  and  contented.  If  he  becomes  wealthy 
he  may  very  likely  become  a  Christian,  less,  perhaps,  from 
any  conviction  or  faith,  but  from  motives  of  interest,  and  to 
facilitate  his  marriage  to  a  native  woman,  or  half-caste. 
He  invariably  selects  an  influential  god-father,  and  dutifully 
takes  him  complimentary  presents  on  his  feast-day,  wife's 
feast-day,  etc.     Baptism  used  to  cost  him  a  substantial  fee, 

U  2 


292     THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

but  it  brought  him  business,  for  the  priests  were  good 
customers  to  him.  Now,  however,  with  freedom  of  religion, 
with  civil  marriage  and  the  withdrawal  of  the  friars,  he 
may  be  able  to  marry  without  the  trouble  of  changing  his 
religion. 

Whether  Christian  or  heathen,  he  usually  keeps  a  few 
sticks  of  incense  burning  before  an  image  at  the  back  of  his 
shop,  and  contributes  to  any  subscription  the  priest  may  be 
raising. 

I  look  upon  the  Chinaman  as  a  necessity  in  the  Philip- 
pines, but  consider  that  he  must  be  governed  by  exceptional 
legislation,  and  not  be  allowed  to  enter  indiscriminately, 
nor  to  engage,  as  a  matter  of  course,  in  every  calling. 

If  attempts  are  to  be  made  to  settle  them  on  the  land, 
great  care  must  be  shown  in  selecting  the  localities,  and 
great  precautions  taken  to  prevent  fighting  between  the 
Chinese  and  the  natives.  However,  there  should  be  plenty 
of  room  for  tens  of  thousands  of  agricultural  labourers  in 
Palawan  and  Mindanao ;  but  I  consider  women  to  be 
essential  to  the  success  of  such  colonies.  The  family  is  the 
base  of  any  permanent  settlement,  and  it  ought  to  be  made 
a  condition  that  a  considerable  number  of  women  should 
come  over  with  the  men. 

Mestizos,  or  Half-Breeds. 

From  the  intercourse  of  Spanish  and  other  Europeans 
with  the  native  women,  there  has  sprung  a  race  called 
Mestizo,  or  Mestizo-Espanol.  Similarly,  the  Chinese,  by 
their  alliance  with  native  women,  have  produced  the 
Mestizo-Chino,  or  Sangley. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  say  how  many  there  are  of  these 
people,  for  opinions  differ  widely.  The  anonymous  author 
of  a  pamphlet  called  '  Filipinas '  (Madrid,  1891),  gives  the 
number  of  Spanish  Mestizos  in  the  Archipelago,  in  1890, 
as  75,000,  whilst  he  estimates  the  number  of  Chinese 
Mestizos  at  no  less  than  half  a  million.  The  Spanish 
Mestizos  vary  much  in  appearance,  character  and  education, 
according  to  whether  they  have  come  under  the  influence 
of  their  father  or  their  mother.  Many  of  them  are  people 
of  considerable  property,  and  have  been  educated  in  Spain, 
Germany  or  England,  or  at  the  university  in  Manila. 
Others  have  relapsed  into  the  ordinary  native  life.  As  a 
class  they  are  possessed  of  much  influence.    Both  in  Manila 


MESTIZOS,    OR  HALF-BREEDS  293 

and  in  the  country  towns  they  own  large  houses,  and  much 
landed  property.  Their  superior  intelligence  and  education 
enables  them  to  prosper  in  business  or  in  professions. 
Some  of  them  are  doctors  of  medicine,  or  lawyers.  A  very 
few  have  studied  engineering.  Again,  a  fair  number  are 
priests,  and  of  these,  some  are  men  of  great  learning. 

The  Mestizos  are  the  capitalists,  which  is  to  say  the 
usurers  of  the  country.  They  have  not  personally  partici- 
pated much  in  the  revolts  against  the  Spaniards,  nor  yet  in 
the  fighting  against  the  Americans,  though  they  may  have 
given  small  sums  to  assist  the  movement.  They  will  be 
there,  though,  when  offices  are  to  be  distributed,  and  will 
make  hard  masters,  more  oppressive,  in  fact,  than  any 
European  or  American. 

This  is  what  M.  Andr6,  Belgian  Consul-General,  says  of 
them  :  "  This  class  is  composed  entirely  of  usurers  and 
pawnees.  All  the  pawn-shops  and  gambling-houses  belong 
to  the  principal  Mestizo  famihes.  There  is  not  one  family 
free  from  that  stigma.  In  the  plantations  belonging  to  the 
rich  families  of  Mestizos  or  Indians,  the  workmen  are 
treated  very  inhumanly." 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Spanish  Mestizos  are 
very  unpopular  amongst  the  natives,  and  that  an  uncomfort' 
able  time  would  await  them  should  the  islands  become 
independent.  They  are  perfectly  aware  of  this,  and  in  their 
hearts  long  for  the  protection  of  one  of  the  Great  Powers. 
At  the  same  time,  they  are  anxious  to  get  the  lion's  share 
of  the  loaves  and  fishes. 

The  Chinese  Mestizos  differ  both  in  appearance  and 
character  from  the  Spanish  Mestizos,  owning  less  land,  and 
being  more  addicted  to  commercial  pursuits,  for  which  both 
sexes  show  a  remarkable  aptitude.  It  is  customary  for  the 
daughters,  even  of  wealthy  families,  to  trade  on  their  own 
account  from  an  early  age.  A  case  was  mentioned  to  me 
where  five  dollars  was  given  to  a  young  girl  to  begin 
trading.  With  this  she  purchased  a  pilon  of  sugar,  and 
sending  out  some  of  her  father's  servants  to  the  woods, 
collected  a  large  quantity  of  guavas.  She  then  caused  the 
cook  to  make  the  material  into  guava  jelly,  which  she 
packed  in  tins  or  jars  collected  for  the  purpose.  Then 
another  servant  took  the  jelly  out  for  sale,  and  disposed  of 
it  all.  The  capital  was  soon  doubled,  and  invested  in  sayas 
and  handkerchiefs  bought  at  wholesale  prices,  which  were 
then  hawked  round  by  a  servant.     Some  years  aftenvards, 


294      TIJE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

I  made  the  acquaintance  of  this  young  lady,  and  found  that 
she  was  then  dealing  in  diamond  and  pearl  jewellery,  and 
had  a  large  iron  safe  in  which  she  kept  her  stock,  which 
was  then  worth  several  thousand  dollars,  all  made  by  her 
trading. 

Chinese  Mestizos  are  owners  of  cascos  and  lorchas  for 
loading  or  unloading  vessels,  also  of  farderias,  or  establish- 
ments for  mixing  and  drying  sugar. 

In  Manila,  the  Sangleyes,  as  they  are  called  by  the 
Spaniards  and  natives,  have  a  gobernadorcillo  and  tribunal 
of  their  own.  In  Santa  Cruz  they  are  very  numerous,  and 
amongst  them  are  to  be  found  jewellers,  silversmiths,  watch- 
makers, or  rather  repairers,  sculptors,  gilders  and  painters, 
besides  one  or  two  dentists  of  good  renown. 


(    295    ) 


PART    II. 

THE   VISAYAS  AND    PALAWAN 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

THE  VISAYAS  ISLANDS. 

Area  and  population — Panay — Negros — Cebu — Bohol — 
Leyte — Samar. 

This  name  is  given  to  the  group  of  six  considerable  islands 
lying  between  Luzon  and  Mindanao,  and  also  to  the  race 
inhabiting  them.  Beginning  at  the  west,  these  islands  are 
Panay,  Negros,  Cebu,  Bohol,  Leyte,  and  Samar.  There 
are  also  a  number  of  smaller  islands. 

Many  of  the  larger  as  well  as  the  smaller  islands  are 
thickly  populated,  and  an  extensive  emigration  takes  place 
to  the  great  and  fertile  island  of  Mindanao,  where  any 
amount  of  rich  land  waits  the  coming  of  the  husbandmen. 
I  can  find  no  later  records  of  population  than  the  census  of 
1877.  This  may  seem  strange  to  an  American,  but  to 
those  who  know  the  ignorance  and  ineptitude  of  the 
Spanish  administration,  it  will  seem  a  matter  of  course. 
Such  data  of  the  population  as  the  Government  Offices 
possess,  are  mostly  due  to  the  priests  and  the  archbishop. 

Since  1877  there  has  undoubtedly  been  a  great  increase 
of  population  amongst  the  Visayas,  and  in  1887  the 
population  of  Panay  was  considered  to  be  more  than  a 
million. 

The  Visayas  Islands  contain  fewer  heathen  than  any 
other  part  of  the  Philippines.  In  Panay  there  are  a  few 
Negritos  and  Mundos  ;  in  Negros  some  Negritos  and 
Carolanos.  The  illustration  opposite  p.  207  is  a  full-length 
photograph  of  Tek  Taita,  a  Negrito  from  this  island.     In 


296      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

Cebii  a  few  Mundos  live  around  the  peak  of  Danao.  In 
Bohol,  Leyte,  and  Samar  there  are  no  heathen  savages. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  heathen  in  these  islands  would 
have  died  out  before  now  but  that  they  arc  reinforced  con- 
tinually by  renwntados,  or  fugitives  from  justice,  also  by 
people  whose  inclination  for  a  savage  life,  or  whose  love  of 
rapine  renders  the  humdrum  life  of  their  village  insupport- 
able to  them. 

The  following  Table  gives  the  area  of  each  !of  the  six 
larger  islands,  and  the  population  in  1877. 


Area  in  square 

Population 
according  to 

Capitals. 

Census  of  1877. 

Panay   (divided   into   three! 

j  Capiz. 

provinces  —  Capiz,     An-> 
tique,  Ilo-ilo)           .          . ) 

4,898 

777.777* 

<  Antique. 

I  Ilo-ilo. 

Negros     .... 

3.592 

204,669 

Bacolod. 

Cebu        .... 

2,285 

403,296 

Cebu. 

Bohol       .... 

1,226 

226,546 

Tagbilaran. 

Leyte       .... 

3,706 

220,515 

Tacloban. 

Samar      .          .      ■   . 

5, 182 

178,890 

Catbalogan. 

2,011,693 

*  The  above  was  the  Christian  Visayas  population,  and  is  exclusive  of  Negritos,  Mundos, 
and  other  heathen  savages  and  remontados.  The  area  is  taken  from  a  Spanish  official 
report. 

Panay. — This  island  is  approximately  an  equilateral 
triangle,  with  the  western  edge  nearly  north  and  south, 
having  one  apex  pointing  south.  A  chain  of  mountains 
extends  in  a  curved  line  from  the  northern  to  the  southern 
point,  enclosing  an  irregular  strip  of  land  which  forms  the 
province  of  Antique.  The  rivers  in  this  part  of  the  island 
are  naturally  short  and  unimportant.  The  northern  part  of 
the  island  is  the  province  of  Capiz,  the  principal  river  is  the 
Panay,  which,  rising  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  runs  in  a 
northerly  direction  for  over  thirty  miles,  entering  the  sea  at 
the  Bay  of  Sapian.  The  eastern  and  southern  part  of  the 
island  is  the  province  of  Ilo-ilo.  The  principal  river  is  the 
Talana,  which,  rising  quite  near  the  source  of  the  River 
Panay,  runs  in  a  southerly  and  south-easterly  direction  into 
the  channel  between  Negros  and  Panay  to  the  north  of  the 
island  of  Guimaras.  There  are  many  spurs  to  the  prin- 
cipal range  of  mountains,  but  between  them  is  a  consider- 
able extent  of  land  under  cultivation.      The  province  of 


THE    VIS  AY  AS  ISLANDS  297 

Ilo-ilo  is  one  of  the  richest  and  most  densely-populated  in 
the  Philippines.  It  now  contains  at  least  half  a  million 
inhabitants. 

Ilo-ilo  is  open  to  foreign  commerce,  and  vice-consuls  of 
many  nations  reside  there.  Yet  the  port  has  neither 
wharves,  cranes,  moorings  or  lights.  The  coasting  steamers 
drawing  up  to  13  feet  enter  a  muddy  creek  and  discharge 
their  cargo  on  the  banks  as  best  they  can,  whilst  the  ocean- 
going ships  lie  out  in  the  bay  and  receive  their  cargoes  of 
sugar  and  other  produce  from  lighters,  upon  each  of  which 
pilotage  used  to  be  charged  for  the  benefit  of  an  unnecessary 
number  of  pilots,  and  of  the  captain  of  the  port,  who  received 
a  share  of  the  pilotage  and  strenuously  resisted  a  reform  of 
this  abuse. 

Under  American  protection,  Ilo-ilo  may  be  expected  to 
become  a  flourishing  port,  provided  with  every  convenience 
for  discharging,  loading,  and  repairing  ships,  as  becomes 
the  importance  of  its  trade.  The  town  of  Ilo-ilo  contained 
many  large  buildings,  some  of  them  owned  by  British 
subjects.  During  the  fighting  last  year,  however,  several 
buildings  were  burnt. 

During  the  Spanish  rule  the  streets  were  entirely  un- 
cared  for,  being  a  series  of  mud-holes  in  the  rainy  season, 
and  thick  with  dust  and  garbage  in  the  dry  season. 

The  town  and  port  together  arc  notorious  examples  of 
all  the  worst  characteristics  of  Spanish  rule. 

The  principal  towns  of  this  wealthy  province  are  Pototan, 
Santa  Barbara,  Janiuay,  and  Cabatuan,  each  of  which  has 
more  than  20,000  inhabitants. 

The  industries  and  productions  of  this  and  the  other 
islands  are  treated  of  under  Visayas  when  describing  the 
inhabitants. 

Negros. — A  long  island  of  irregular  shape,  lying  between 
Panay  and  Cebu.  Its  axis  is  nearly  north  and  south,  and 
a  chain  of  mountains  runs  up  it,  but  nearer  to  the  east  than 
to  the  west  coast. 

A  little  to  the  north  of  the  centre  of  this  chain,  the 
celebrated  volcano  Canlaon  raises  its  peak  over  8300  feet. 
It  is  frequently  in  active  eruption,  and  can  be  perceived  at 
an  immense  distance  when  the  atmosphere  is  clear.  I  have 
seen  it  and  its  long  plume  of  vapour  from  a  steamer  when 
passing  the  north  of  the  island. 

In  the  Sierra  de  Dumaguete,  a  range  occupying  the 
centre  of  the  southern  promontory  of  the  island,  and  about 


298      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  centre  of  the  range,  there  is  the  volcano  of  Bacon,  about 
which  httle  is  known. 

Cebu  is  a  long  and  narrow  island  something  in  the  shape 
of  an  alligator,  looked  at  from  above,  with  the  snout 
pointing  to  the  southward  and  westward.  It  is  opposite 
to  Ncgros,  and  separated  from  that  island  by  the  Strait  of 
Tanon.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  range  of  mountains  rising  out  of 
the  sea,  and  is  very  narrow,  being  nowhere  more  than 
22  miles  wide.  There  being  a  large  population  of  Visayas, 
and  the  mountains  not  being  very  high,  the  wandering 
heathen  have  to  a  great  extent  been  weeded  out,  and  only 
a  remnant  of  wretched  Mundos  remain  about  the  crests  of 
the  Cordillera. 

The  capital  city,  Cebii,  was  the  first  in  the  Archipelago 
to  possess  a  municipality,  and  was,  in  fact,  until  1571,  the 
capital  of  the  PhiHppines. 

It  possesses  some  fine  buildings  ;  is  the  seat  of  a  bishop, 
and  formerly  of  the  Governor-General  of  Visayas.  It  is 
open  to  foreign  commerce,  and  vice-consuls  of  the  principal 
nations  reside  there. 

There  can  be  no  rivers  in  an  island  of  this  configuration, 
for  the  water  runs  away  as  from  the  roof  of  a  house.  The 
crops  and  industries  have  been  spoken  of  under  the  head 
of  Visayas. 

There  are  considerable  beds  of  lignite  near  Compostela, 
and  various  efforts  have  been  made  to  work  them,  so  far, 
I  fear,  without  much  success.  Remarkable  shells,  and 
some  pearls  are  obtained  round  about  Cebu  and  the 
adjacent  islands, 

Bohol  lies  off  the  southern  half  of  the  eastern  coast  of 
Cebu,  and  is  only  half  the  size  of  that  island,  but  it  has 
more  than  half  the  population.  It  is  hilly,  and  the  towns 
and  villages  are  situated  on  the  coast.  Only  the  southern 
and  eastern  coast  is  visited  by  coasting  vessels,  the  navi- 
gation to  the  north  and  west  being  impeded  by  a  labyrinth 
of  coral  reefs.  The  soil  of  this  island  is  not  rich,  and 
the  more  enterprising  of  the  natives  emigrate  to  Mindanao. 

Leyte  is  an  island  of  very  irregular  shape — something 
like  a  hide  pegged  out  on  the  ground — and  lies  between  the 
northern  half  of  Cebu  and  the  southern  part  of  Samar,  from 
which  it  is  only  separated  by  a  very  narrow  passage  called 
the  Janabatas  Channel,  and  the  Strait  of  San  Juanico.  The 
southern  extremity  of  I.eyte  approaches  the  northern  pro- 
montory of  Mindanao,  and  forms  the  Straits  of  Surigao,  the 


THE    VIS  AY  AS  ISLANDS  299 

second  entrance  from  the  Pacific  to  the  seas  of  the  Archi- 
pelago. The  island  is  mountainous,  and  has  two  lakes,  one 
called  Bito  is  at  the  narrowest  part,  and  one  called  Jaro, 
near  the  town  of  that  name.  There  are  several  good  ports. 
The  exports,  which  go  to  Manila,  are  hemp  and  sulphur  of 
great  purity. 

Smnar. — This  is  the  largest  of  the  Visayas,  and  yet  has 
fewest  inhabitants.  It  lies  to  the  eastward  of  all  the  other 
islands,  and  consequently  its  east  coast,  like  that  of  Luzon 
and  Mindanao,  is  exposed  to  the  full  fury  of  the  north-east 
monsoon,  and  to  the  ravages  of  the  heavy  rollers  of  the 
Pacific  that  burst  without  warning  on  its  rocky  coast. 

Its  chief  port,  Catbalogan,  is  situated  on  the  western 
coast,  and  is  well-sheltered.  From  the  coast  many  lofty 
peaks  are  visible,  but  the  interior  of  this  island  is  little 
known.  The  exports  are  hemp  and  cocoa-nut  oil.  The 
northern  point  of  Samar  approaches  the  southern  extremity 
of  Luzon,  and  forms  the  historic  Strait  of  San  Bernardino, 
one  of  the  entrances  to  the  Philippine  Archipelago  from 
the  Pacific.  It  was  by  this  Strait  that  the  annual  galleon 
from  Acapulco  entered,  and  here  also  the  British  privateers 
lay  in  wait  for  their  silver-laden  prey. 


300      THE   INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

THE  VISAYAS  RACE. 

Appearance — Dress — -Look  upon  Tagals  as  foreigners — Favourable 
opinion  of  Tomas  de  Comyn — Old  Christians — Constant  wars 
with  the  Moro  pirates  and  Sea  Dayaks — Secret  heathen  rites — 
Accusation  of  indolence  unfounded — Exports  of  hemp  and  sugar 
— Ilo-ilo  sugar — Cebii  sugar — Textiles — A  promising  race. 

The  most  numerous  and,  after  the  Tagals,  the  most  im- 
portant race  in  the  Philippines  is  the  Visaya,  formerly 
called  Pintados,  or  painted  men,  from  the  blue  painting  or 
tattooing  which  was  prevalent  at  the  time  of  the  conquest. 
They  form  the  mass  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands  called 
Visayas  and  of  some  others. 

They  occupy  the  south  coast  of  Masbate,  the  islands 
of  Romblon,  Bohol,  Sibuyan,  Samar,  and  Leyte,  Tablas, 
Panay,  Negros,  and  Cebu,  all  the  lesser  islands  of  the 
Visayas  group  and  the  greater  part  of  the  coast  of  the 
great  island  of  Mindanao.  In  that  island  the  Caragas,  a 
very  warlike  branch  of  the  Visayas,  occupy  the  coast  of  the 
old  kingdom  of  Caraga  on  the  east  from  Punta  Cauit  to 
Punta  San  Agustin. 

Another  branch  of  the  Visayas  distinguished  by  a  darker 
colour  and  by  a  curliness  of  the  hair,  suggesting  some 
Negrito  mixture,  occupies  the  Calamianes  and  Cuyos 
Islands,  and  the  northern  coasts  of  Paragua  or  Palawan  as 
far  as  Bahia  Honda. 

In  appearance  the  Visayas  differ  somewhat  from  the 
Tagals,  having  a  greater  resemblance  to  the  Malays  of 
Borneo  and  Malacca.  The  men  wear  their  hair  longer 
than  the  Tagals,  and  the  women  wear  a  patadion  instead  of 
a  saya  and  tapis. 

The  patadion  is  a  piece  of  cloth  a  yard  wide  and  over 


THE    VIS  AY  AS:    THEIR  DRESS  30I 

two  yards  long,  the  ends  of  which  are  sewn  together.  The 
wearer  steps  into  it  and  wraps  it  round  the  figure  from  the 
waist  downward,  doubling  it  over  in  front  into  a  wide  fold, 
and  tucking  it  in  securely  at  the  waist.  The  saya  is  a 
made  skirt  tied  at  the  waist  with  a  tape,  and  the  tapis  is  a 
breadth  of  dark  cloth,  silk  or  satin,  doubled  round  the 
waist  over  the  saya. 

In  disposition  they  arc  less  sociable  and  hospitable  than 
the  Tagals,  and  less  clean  in  their  persons  and  clothing. 
They  have  a  language  of  their  own,  and  there  are  several 
dialects  of  it.  The  basis  of  their  food  is  rice,  with  which 
they  often  mix  maize.  They  flavour  their  food  with  red 
pepper  to  a  greater  extent  than  the  Tagals.  They  are 
expert  fishermen,  and  consume  large  quantities  of  fish.  In 
smoking  and  chewing  betel  they  resemble  the  other  races 
of  the  islands.  They  are  great  gamblers,  and  take  delight 
in  cock-fighting.  They  are  fond  of  hunting,  and  kill 
numbers  of  wild  pig  and  deer.  They  cut  the  flesh  of  the 
latter  into  thin  strips  and  dry  it  in  the  sun,  after  which  it 
will  keep  a  long  time.  It  is  useful  to  take  as  provision 
on  a  journey,  but  it  requires  good  teeth  to  get  through  it. 

The  Visayas  build  a  number  of  canoes,  paraos,  barotos, 
and  vintas,  and  are  very  confident  on  the  water,  putting  to 
sea  in  their  ill-found  and  badly-equipped  craft  with  great 
assurance,  and  do  not  come  to  grief  as  often  as  might  be 
expected.  Their  houses  are  similarly  constructed  to  those 
of  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  littoral. 

Ancient  writers  accused  the  Visaya  women  of  great 
sensuality  and  unbounded  immorality,  and  gave  details  of 
some  very  curious  customs,  which  are  unsuitable  for  general 
publication.  However,  the  customs  I  refer  to  have  been 
long  obsolete  among  the  Visayas,  although  still  existing 
amongst  some  of  the  wilder  tribes  in  Borneo.  The  Vis;iya 
women  are  very  prolific,  many  having  borne  a  dozen  chil- 
dren, but  infant  mortality  is  high,  and  they  rear  but  few  of 
them.  The  men  are  less  sober  than  the  Tagals — they 
manufacture  and  consume  large  quantities  of  strong  drink. 
They  are  not  fond  of  the  Tagals,  and  a  Visaya  regiment 
would  not  hesitate  to  fire  upon  them  if  ordered.  In  fact  the 
two  tribes  look  upon  each  other  as  foreigners.  When 
discovered  by  the  Spaniards,  they  were  to  a  great  extent 
civilised  and  organised  in  a  feudal  system.  Tomas  de 
Comyn  formed  a  very  favourable  opinion  of  them — he 
writes,  both  men  and  women  are  well-mannered  and  of  a 


302      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

good  disposition,  of  better  condition  and  nobler  behaviour 
than  those  of  the  Island  of  Luzon  and  others  adjacent. 

They  had  learnt  much  from  Arab  and  Bornean  adven- 
turers, especially  from  the  former,  whose  superior  physique, 
learning,  and  sanctity,  as  coming  from  the  country  of  the 
Prophet,  made  them  acceptable  suitors  for  the  hands  of  the 
daughters  of  the  Rajas  or  petty  kings.  They  had  brought 
with  them  the  doctrines  of  Islam,  which  had  begun  to 
make  some  converts  before  the  Spanish  discovery.  The 
old  Visaya  religion  was  not  unlike  that  of  the  Tagals,  they 
called  their  idols  Dinatas  instead  of  Anitos — their  marriage 
customs  were  not  very  different  from  those  of  the  Tagals. 

The  ancestors  of  the  Visayas  were  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity at,  or  soon  after,  the  Spanish  conquest.  They  have 
thus  been  Christians  for  over  three  centuries,  and  in  con- 
stant war  with  the  Mahometan  pirates  of  Mindanao  and 
Sulu,  and  with  the  Sea  Dayaks  of  Borneo.  However,  in 
some  localities  they  still  show  a  strong  hankering  after 
witchcraft,  and  practise  secret  heathen  rites,  notwithstanding 
the  vigilance  of  the  parish  priests. 

A  friar  of  the  order  of  Recollets  who  had  held  a  benefice 
in  Bohol,  assured  me  that  they  have  a  secret  heathen  organi- 
sation, although  every  member  is  a  professing  Christian, 
taking  the  Sacrament  on  the  great  feasts  of  the  Church. 
They  hold  a  secret  triennial  meeting  of  their  adherents, 
who  come  over  from  other  islands  to  be  present.  The 
meeting  is  held  in  some  lonely  valley,  or  on  some  desert 
island,  where  their  vessels  can  lie  concealed,  always  far 
from  any  church  or  priest.  All  the  RecoUet  could  tell  me 
about  the  ceremonies  was  that  the  sacrifice  of  pigs  formed 
an  important  part  of  it. 

The  Visayas  are  no  less  credulous  than  the  Tagals,  for 
in  Samar,  during  my  recollection,  there  have  been  several 
disturbances  caused  by  fanatics  who  went  about  in  rags, 
and  by  prayers,  incoherent  speeches,  and  self-mortification 
acquired  a  great  reputation  for  sanctity.  The  poor  ignorant 
people,  deluded  by  these  impostors,  who  gave  themselves 
out  to  be  gods,  and  as  such,  impervious  to  bullets,  and  im- 
mortal, abandoned  their  homes  and  followed  these  false 
gods  wherever  they  went,  listening  to  their  wild  promises, 
and  expecting  great  miracles.  They  soon  came  into  colli- 
sion with  the  Guardia  Civil ;  and  on  one  occasion,  armed 
only  with  clubs  and  knives,  they  made  a  determined  charge 
on  a  small  party  of  this  corps  under  the  command  of  a 


THE    VIS  AY  AS:    THEIR  SUGAR  ESTATES        303 


native  officer.  The  Guardia  Civil  formed  across  the  road 
and  poured  several  steady  volleys  into  the  advancing  crowd, 
breaking  them  up  and  dispersing  them  with  heavy  loss 
and  killing  the  false  god.  The  native  officer  received  the 
laurel-wreathed  cross  of  San  Fernando  as  a  reward  for  his 
services. 

The  Visayas  are  taxed  with  great  indolence,  yet  they 
are  almost  the  only  working  people  in  districts  which  export 
a  great  quantity  of  produce.  Leyte  and  Samar  produce  a 
good  many  bales  of  excellent  hemp,  and  it  should  be  re- 
membered that  every  bale  represents  at  least  twelve  days' 
hard  work  of  one  man  in  cleaning  the  fibre  only,  without 
counting  the  cultivation,  conveyance  to  the  port,  pressing, 
baling,  and  shipping. 

In  Negros  and  Panay  the  sugar  estates  are  much  larger 
than  in  Luzon,  and  mostly  belong  to  Spaniards  or  mestizos. 
They  are  not  worked  by  aparceria  as  in  Luzon,  but  the 
labourers  are  paid  by  the  day.  Great  troubles  often  occur 
as  bands  of  labourers  present  themselves  on  the  plantations 
and  offer  to  work,  but  demand  an  advance  of  pay.  Some- 
times, after  receiving  it,  they  work  a  few  days  and  then 
depart  without  notice,  leaving  the  planter  in  great  difficulty 
and  without  redress.  Strict  laws  against  vagrants  are 
urgently  required  in  Visayas.  On  the  other  hand  the 
planter  is  more  free  to  introduce  improvements  and  altera- 
tions than  when  working  by  aparceria  when  he  has  to 
consult  the  inquilino  or  cultivator  about  any  change.  The 
cane-mills  are  much  larger  than  in  Luzon,  and  are  mostly 
worked  by  steam  engines. 

The  sugar  is  handled  differently  from  the  custom  of 
Pampanga.  Pilones  are  not  used,  and  no  manipulation  in 
fardcrias  is  required  to  prepare  it  for  export.  The  cane- 
juice  is  carefully  clarified  and  skimmed,  then  boiled  in 
open  pans  to  a  much  higher  point  than  when  making  pilon- 
sugar,  and  to  get  it  to  this  point  without  burning  or  over- 
heating much  care  and  experience  is  required. 

From  the  teache  it  is  ladled  into  large  wooden  trays, 
always  in  thin  layers,  and  is  there  beaten  up  with  heavy 
spatulas  until  it  becomes,  on  cooling,  a  pale  yellow  amor- 
phous mass.  It  is  packed  in  mat-bags,  and  is  then  ready 
for  shipment.  It  travels  well  and  loses  but  little  during  a 
voyage  to  San  Francisco  or  New  York.  None  of  it  goes 
to  England,  which  is  now  entirely  supplied  by  the  vile 
beet  sugar  "  made  in  Germany,"  except  for  a  few  hundred 


304      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

tons  of  Demerara  crystals  imported  for  use  by  connoisseurs 

to  sweeten  their  coffee. 

Ilo-ilo  sugar  is  shipped  under  three  marks,  No.  i,  No.  2, 
No.  3.  An  assortment  or  cargo  of  this  sugar  should  consist 
of  i-8th  No.  I,  2-8ths  No.  2,  5-8ths  No.  3. 

A  representative  analysis  of  Ilo-ilo  sugar  is  as  follows  : 


No.  1. 

No.  3. 

No.  3- 

Per  Cent. 

Per  Cent. 

Per  Cent. 

Crystallizable  sugar 

86 -60 

84-50 

81-20 

Glucose.         .... 

5-40 

5-50 

6-56 

Mineral  matter  (ash) 

1-50 

2-56 

3'72 

Sand      ..... 

trace 

•24 

1-28 

In  Cebd  the  properties  are  small  and  are  mostly  in  the 
hands  of  Visayas.  There  are,  perhaps,  five  or  six  steam- 
mills,  but  most  of  the  cane  is  ground  in  cattle-mills.  They 
follow  the  practice  of  negroes  in  making  sugars  direct  for 
export,  but  the  produce  is  of  a  lower  quality.  An  analysis 
of  the  Cebu  suerar  is  as  follows  : 


Cebu  Superior. 

Cebii  Current. 

Per  Cent. 

Per  Cent. 

Crystallizable  sugar  .... 

8I-IO 

71-00 

Glucose  ...... 

7-90 

12-50 

Mineral  matter  (ash) 

2-i6 

2-23 

The  sugar  produced  in  the  other  Visayas  islands  is 
quite  insignificant. 

Ilo-ilo  and  Cebu  are  the  principal  ports  in  the  Visayas 
territory.  Besides  what  they  shipped  to  Manila  in  1897, 
they  exported  directly  to  the  United  States,  Great  Britain, 
or  other  countries,  the  following:  Ilo-ilo,  127,744  tons  of 
sugar  ;  51,300  piculs  of  Sapan  wood  ;  Cebu,  15.^.14  tons  of 
sugar ;  80,271  bales  of  hemp  ;  46,414  piculs  of  Copra.     And 


THE    VIS  AY  AS:    A    PROMISING  RACE  305 

it  must  be  remembered  that  the  Visayas  cultivate  most  of 
the  rice,  maize,  and  other  food-stuffs  which  they  consume, 
and  also  make  their  own  instruments  of  agriculture.  Besides 
this,  Ilo-ilo  exported  to  other  parts  of  the  Philippines  a 
million  dollars'  worth  of  textiles  of  cotton,  silk,  and  other 
fibres,  made  by  the  Visayas  women  in  hand-looms.  The 
women  in  Antique  make  the  finest  pina,  a  beautiful  trans- 
parent texture  of  the  utmost  delicacy,  woven  from  the 
fibres  of  the  leaves  of  a  non-fruiting  pine  {ananas).  When 
doing  the  finest  work  they  have  to  keep  their  doors  and 
windows  closed,  for  the  least  draught  would  break  or  dis- 
arrange the  delicate  filaments.  The  export  from  other 
ports  in  Visayas  of  textiles  of  cotton  and  silk  is  consider- 
able, and,  in  addition  to  what  they  sell,  the  Visayas  women 
weave  most  of  the  material  for  their  own  clothing  and  for 
that  of  the  men. 

The  Visayas  also  export  mat-bags  for  sugar,  which  are 
called  bayones  ;  mats  for  sleeping  on,  called  petates  or 
esteras  ;  pillows  stuffed  with  cotton,  hides,  mother-of-pearl 
shell,  Balate  {Bkhe  de  Mer),  edible  bird's-nests,  gutta- 
percha, gum-dammar,  wax,  rattans,  coffee  (of  indifferent 
quality),  and  leaf  tobacco.  Both  the  island  of  Panay  and 
the  coasts  of  Negros  are  dotted  over  with  cane  plantations. 

The  Visayas  extract  oil  from  cocoa-nuts  and  forge 
excellent  weapons  from  scrap  iron.  The  bands  from  bales 
of  Manchester  goods  are  much  esteemed  for  this  purpose. 

If  we  take  all  these  points  into  consideration,  the  Visayas 
may  not  appear  so  deplorably  indolent  as  they  have  been 
said  to  be.  When  writing  of  the  other  races,  I  have  pointed 
out  that  the  indolence  imputed  to  them  rather  goes  beyond 
what  is  warranted  by  the  facts. 

It  will  be  understood  that  there  are  degrees  in  the 
civilisation  of  the  Visayas,  and  as  amongst  the  Tagals  and 
other  races,  considerable  differences  will  be  found  to  exist 
between  the  dwellers  in  the  towns  and  those  in  the  outlying 
hamlets,  whilst  the  Remontados  may  be  considered  to  have 
relapsed  into  savagery. 

The  Visayas  do  a  certain  amount  of  trade  with  the 
heathen  hill-men  of  their  islands,  and  as  will  be  pointed  out 
when  describing  these  tribes,  it  is  hard  to  say  whether  the 
Christian  Visayas  or  the  Mahometan  Malays  rob  these  poor 
savages  more  shamefully. 

The  Visayas  are  a  promising  race,  and  I  feel  sure  that 
when  they  have  a  good  government  that  will  not  extort  too 

X 


3o6      THE  INHABITANTS  OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


heavy  taxes  from  them,  nor  allow  the  native  and  half-caste 
usurers  to  eat  them  up,  their  agriculture  and  industries  will 
surprisingly  increase. 

It  is  to  the  Visayas  that  the  American  Government 
must  look  to  provide  a  militia  that  will  now  hold  in  check, 
and  ultimately  subjugate,  the  piratical  Moros  of  Mindanao 
and  Paragua.  The  fighting  qualities  of  this  race,  developed 
by  centuries  of  combat  with  their  Mahometan  aggressors  in 
defence  of  hearths  and  homes,  will  be  found  quite  sufficient 
if  they  are  well  armed  and  led  to  make  an  end  of  the  Moro 
power  within  a  very  few  years. 

That  this  aspiration  is  one  well  worthy  of  the  country- 
men of  Decatur,  will,  I  think,  be  admitted  by  all  who  have 
read  my  description  of  the  Moros  under  the  heading  of 
Mindanao. 


(     107     ) 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

THE   ISLAND   OF   PALAWAN,    OR   PARAGUA. 

The  Tagbanuas — Tandulanos — Manguianes — Negritos — Moros  of 
southern  Palawan — Tagbanua  alphabet. 

The  island  of  Palawan,  or,  as  it  is  called  by  the  Spaniards, 
La  Paragua,  is  situated  between  the  parallels  8°  25'  and 
11°  30'  N.  lat.  The  capital,  Puerto  Princesa,  was  founded 
in  1872,  and  is  situated  on  the  east  coast  in  lat.  9^  45', 
being  354  miles  from  Manila,  210  miles  from  North  Borneo, 
and  510  miles  from  Singapore.  Palawan  is  about  250  miles 
long,  and  from  10  to  25  wide,  with  an  area  of  about  5833 
square  miles,  the  third  in  size  of  the  Philippine  Islands. 
There  are  several  good  ports  in  the  northern  part,  which  is 
much  broken  up,  and  its  coasts  studded  with  numerous 
islets,  forming  secure  anchorages. 

Off  the  western  coast  is  a  large  submarine  bank,  with 
many  coral  reefs  and  islets.  The  navigation  on  this  coast 
is  very  dangerous,  and  can  only  be  done  in  daylight. 

The  harbour  of  Puerto  Princesa  is  an  excellent  one,  and 
sufficiently  large  for  all  requirements. 

Limestone  and  other  sedimentary  formations  predomi- 
nate. No  volcanic  rocks  are  known  to  exist.  It  is  conjec- 
tured that  the  island  has  been  formed  by  an  upheaval,  and 
it  bears  little  resemblance  geologically  to  any  of  the  other 
Philippines.  Plastic  clays  suitable  for  making  bricks,  tiles, 
and  pottery,  abound. 

Nothing  is  known  about  the  mineralogy,  except  that  rock- 
crystal  is  found,  a  magnificent  specimen  of  great  purity  and 
value  was  sent  from  the  island  to  the  Madrid  Exhibition 
of  1887. 

A  chain  of  mountains,  with  peaks  of  varying  elevation 
up  to  6500  feet,  runs  lengthways  of  the  island,  much  nearer 

X  2 


3o8      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


to  the  western  coast  than  to  the  eastern.  The  descent 
from  the  summits  to  the  eastern  coast  is,  therefore,  gradual, 
and  on  the  western  coast  it  is  abrupt.  Mount  Staveley, 
Mount  Beaufort  (3740  feet),  Pico  Pulgar  (4330  feet),  and 
the  Peaks  of  Anepalian,  are  in  the  central  part  of  the 
island. 

The  following  record  is  taken  from  the  observations 
made  by  Captain  Canga-Arguelles,  a  former  governor, 
during  his  residence  of  three  years  in  Puerto  Princesa. 


Month. 

Mean  Temp. 
Fahrenheit. 

Barometer. 
Inches. 

Rainy  Days. 

January            .... 

85 

30-04 

4 

February 

81 

30 

3 

March    . 

85 

30-07 

4 

April 

87 

29-92 

5 

May 

84 

29-80 

4 

Tune 

82 

29-90 

12 

July     . 

80 

17 

August  . 

82 

29-84 

4 

September 

79 

29 -88 

20 

October. 

85 

29-90 

20 

November 

82 

29-95 

8 

December 

82 

30 

4 

Mea 

n 

.      82-83 

105 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  temperature  is  not  excessive, 
and  that  the  distribution  of  the  rainfall  is  favourable  to 
agriculture  and  planting.  The  force  of  the  monsoon  is 
much  spent  when  it  arrives  on  the  coast  of  Paragua, 
and  the  typhoons  only  touch  the  northern  extremity  of 
the  island. 

Volcanic  phenomena  are  unknown,  and  there  is  no 
record  of  earthquakes. 

From  the  lay  of  the  island  there  is  always  one  coast 
with  calm  water,  whichever  way  the  monsoon  is  blowing. 

The  troops  and  civil  population  of  Puerto  Princesa 
suffer  to  some  extent  from  intermittent  fevers  ;  but  the 
reports  of  the  military,  naval,  and  civil  infirmaries,  state 
that  the  disease  is  not  very  severe,  and  that  it  yields  to 
treatment,  and  this  assertion  is  confirmed  by  the  reports  of 
the  French  travellers,  Drs.  Montano  and  Rey  and  M.  Alfred 
Marche. 

The  northern  part  of  the  island  has  been  colonised  from 
the  other  Philippines,  and  the  Christian  inhabitants  number 


THE  ISLAND   OF  PALAWAN  309 

about  10,000  distributed  amongst  several  small  villages. 
The  southern  coasts  are  occupied  by  Mahometan  Malays, 
who  number  about  6000,  and  the  rest  of  this  large  island, 
except  Puerta  Princesa,  is  only  populated  by  savages,  the 
principal  tribes  being  the — 

Tagbuanas,  estimated  to  number  .  .  .  6,000 

Tandulanos,         „                 „  .  .  .  i ,  500 

Negritos,             „                „  .  .  .  500 

Manguianes,        „                „  .  .  .  4,000 


12,000 


This  gives  a  grand  total  of  28,000  inhabitants,  or  5  -6  to  the 
square  mile.  In  the  island  of  Luzon,  in  which  extensive 
districts  are  uncultivated  and  unexplored,  the  mean  density 
of  the  population  in  1875,  was  76*5  per  square  mile,  and  in 
the  provinces  of  Batangan  and  Pasgasinan,  which  are, 
perhaps,  the  best  cultivated,  the  density  was  272  inhabitants 
to  the  square  mile. 

The  fauna  has  been  studied  to  some  extent,  a  French 
collector  having  resided  for  a  considerable  period  on  the 
island.  It  comprises  monkeys,  pigs,  civets,  porcupines, 
flying  squirrels,  pheasants,  and  a  small  leopard,  this  latter 
not  found  in  any  other  of  the  Philippines,  and  showing  a 
connection  with  Borneo. 

The  island  is  covered  with  dense  forests,  which  have 
been  little  explored. 

The  Inspeccion  de  Montes  (Department  of  Woods  and 
Forests)  gives  a  list  of  104  different  kinds  of  forest-trees 
known  to  be  growing  there,  and  states  that  ebony  abounds 
there  more  than  in  any  other  province  of  the  Philippines. 
According  to  Wallace,  the  camphor-tree  is  found  in  the 
island. 

Amongst  the  timbers  mentioned  in  the  Woods  and 
Forests  lists  are  ebony,  camagon,  teak,  cedar,  dungon, 
banaba,  gui'jo,  molave,  and  many  others  of  value.  The 
forest  or  jungle-produce  will  comprise  :  charcoal,  firewood, 
bamboos,  rattans,  nipa  (attap),  orchids,  wax,  gums,  resins, 
and  camphor.  Edible  birds'-nests  are  found  in  various 
localities.  Fish  is  abundant  in  the  waters,  and  balate  {Bkhe 
de  vier)  is  collected  on  the  shores  and  reefs. 

Puerto  Princesa  is  visited  by  a  mail  steamer  from 
Manila  once  in  twenty-eight  days.  A  garrison  of  two 
companies  of  infantry  was  kept  there,  and  several  small 
gun-boats  were   stationed   there,  which  went   periodically 


3IO      THE  INHABIT  A  NTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


round  the  island.  Piracy  was  completely  suppressed,  and 
the  Mahometan  Malays  were  kept  in  good  order  by  the 
Spanish  forces. 

The  dense  primeval  forests  which  have  existed  for  ages, 
untouched  by  the  hand  of  man,  undevastated  by  typhoons, 
volcanic  eruptions,  or  earthquakes,  must  necessarily  have 
produced  an  enormous  quantity  of  decayed  vegetable 
matter,  rich  in  humus,  and  such  a  soil  on  a  limestone 
subsoil,  mixed  with  the  detritus  washed  down  from  the 
mountains,  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  be  of  the 
highest  fertility,  and,  perhaps,  to  be  equal  to  the  richest 
lands  of  the  earth,  most  specially  for  the  cultivation  of 
tobacco. 

The  varied  climates  to  be  found  from  the  sea-level  to 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  should  allow  the  cultivation  of 
maize,  rice,  sugar-cane,  cotton,  cacao,  coffee,  and  hemp,  each 
in  the  zone  most  favourable  to  its  growth  and  fruitfulness. 
The  exemption  from  typhoons  enjoyed  by  this  region  is 
most  important  as  regards  the  cultivation  of  the  aborescent 
species,  and  the  cocoa-nut  palm  would  prove  highly 
remunerative  on  land  not  suited  for  other  crops. 

Tagbantias. 

The  Tagbanuas  are  said  to  be  the  most  numerous  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Palawan.  I  understand  that  this  word  comes 
from  Taga,  an  inhabitant,  and  bamia,  country,  and  therefore 
means  an  original  inhabitant  of  the  country,  as  opposed  to 
later  arrivals. 

They  inhabit  the  district  between  Inagahuan,  on  the 
east  coast,  and  Ulugan  and  Apurahuan,  on  the  west  coast. 
Their  numbers  in  1888  were  estimated  at  6cxx).  In  1890 
I  spent  ten  days  amongst  these  people,  and  employed  a 
number  of  them  as  porters  to  carry  my  tent,  provisions,  and 
equipment,  when  travelling  on  foot  through  the  forests  to 
report  on  the  value  of  a  concession  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Yuahit  and  Inagahuan.  I  therefore  describe  them  from 
personal  knowledge.  They  are  of  a  yellowish  colour,  and 
generally  similar  to  the  Mahometan  Malays  of  Mindanao. 
Those  who  have  settled  dovv^n  and  cultivated  land  have  a 
robust  and  healthy  appearance  ;  but  those  who  are  nomadic, 
mostly  suffered  from  skin  diseases,  and  some  were  quite 
emaciated.  Their  Maestro  de  Campo,  the  recognised  head 
of  their  tribe,  hved  near  Inagahuan,  and  I  visited  him  at 


THE   TAGBANUAS:    THEIR   WEAPONS  311 

his  house,  and  found  him  quite  communicative  through  an 
interpreter. 

Maestro  de  Campo  is  an  obsolete  military  rank  in 
Spain,  and  a  commission  granting  this  title  and  an  official 
staff,  is  sometimes  conferred  by  the  Governor-General  of 
the  Philippines,  or  even  by  the  King  of  Spain,  upon  the 
chiefs  of  heathen  tribes,  who  have  supported  the  Spanish 
forces  against  the  pirates  of  Sulu,  Mindanao,  or  Palawan. 
Sometimes  a  small  pension  accompanies  the  title. 

I  also  learnt  much  about  the  Tagbanuas  from  a  soli- 
tary missionary,  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Recollets, 
Fray  Lorenzo  Zapater,  who  had  resided  more  than  two 
years  amongst  them,  and  had  built  a  primitive  sort  of 
church  at  Inagdhuan. 

They  are  sociable  and  pacific  ;  their  only  weapons  are 
the  cerbatana,  or  blow-pipe,  with  poisoned  darts,  and  bows 
and  arrows,  for  the  knives  they  carry  are  tools  and  not 
weapons.  They  do  not  make  war  amongst  themselves,  but 
formerly  fought  sometimes  to  defend  their  possessions 
against  the  piratical  Mahometans,  who  inhabit  the  southern 
part  of  the  island.  These  heartless  robbers,  for  centuries 
made  annual  raids  upon  them,  carrying  off  the  paddy  they 
had  stored  for  their  subsistence,  and  everything  portable 
worth  taking.  They  seized  the  boys  for  slaves,  to  cultivate 
their  lands,  and  the  girls  for  concubines,  killing  the  adults 
who  dared  to  resist  them.  However,  since  the  establish- 
ment of  a  naval  station  and  the  penal  colony  at  Puerto 
Princesa  in  1872,  the  coast  has  been  patrolled  by  the 
Spanish  gun-boats  and  the  piratical  incursions  have  come 
to  an  end.  The  nomadic  Tagbanuas,  both  men  and  women, 
were  quite  naked,  except  for  a  cloth  {tapa-rabo)  which  the 
men  wore,  whilst  the  women  wore  a  girdle,  from  which  hung 
strips  of  bark  or  skin  reaching  nearly  to  the  knees.  Round 
their  necks  they  wore  strings  of  coloured  beads,  a  turquoise 
blue  seemed  to  be  the  favourite  kind,  and  on  their  arms 
and  ankles,  bangles  made  of  brass  wire.  Coming  out  of  the 
forest  into  a  clearing  where  there  were  two  small  huts  built 
in  the  usual  manner,  and  another  constructed  in  the  fork  of 
a  large  tree,  I  found  a  group  of  these  people  threshing 
paddy.  Amongst  them  were  two  young  women  with 
figures  of  striking  symmetry,  who,  on  being  called  by  the 
interpreter,  approached  my  party  without  the  slightest 
timidity  or  embarrassment,  although  wearing  only  the 
fringed  girdle.     I  learnt  that  they  had  both  been  baptized 


312      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


but  on  asking  the  taller  girl  her  name,  instead  of  answer- 
ing me,  she  turned  to  her  companion  and  said  to  her, 
"  What  is  my  name  ?  "  to  which  the  other  answered,  "  Ur- 
sula." I  then  asked  the  shorter  girl  her  name,  and  she 
also,  instead  of  answering  me,  asked  the  other  girl,  "  What 
is  my  name?"  to  which  the  taller  one  answered,  "Mar- 
garita." These  names  had  recently  been  given  them 
instead  of  their  heathen  names,  and  I  could  not  be  sure 
whether  they  had  forgotten  their  new  names  or  whether, 
as  is  the  case  in  several  tribes,  they  must  never  pronounce 
their  own  names  nor  the  names  of  their  ancestors.  They 
thankfully  accepted  a  cigarette  each,  which  they  imme- 
diately lighted. 

On  the  following  Sunday,  these  girls  came  to  Mass  at  the 
Inagahuan  Church,  completely  dressed  like  Tagal  women, 
and  although  they  passed  in  front  of  me,  I  did  not  recognize 
them  until  I  was  told,  for  they  looked  much  shorter. 

When  the  missionary  accompanied  me  to  visit  any  of 
these  people,  I  observed  that  as  we  approached  a  house  the 
people  were  hurriedly  putting  on  their  clothes  to  receive 
us,  but  they  were  evidently  more  at  ease  in  the  garb  of 
Adam  before  the  fall. 

The  Tagbanuas  have  no  strong  religious  convictions, 
and  can  be  easily  persuaded  to  allow  their  children  to  be 
baptised.  The  population  of  Inagahuan  and  Abortan  at 
the  time  of  my  visit  was,  according  to  the  missionary,  1080, 
of  whom  616  were  baptised.  But  from  this  number  many 
had  been  taken  away  by  their  half-caste  or  Chinese  creditors 
to  Lanugan,  a  visita  of  Trinitian,  to  collect  wax  and  alma- 
ciga — the  forests  near  Inagahuan  and  Yuahit  being  entirely 
exhausted.  The  heathen  Tagbanuas  believe  in  future 
rewards  and  punishment,  and  call  the  infernal  regions  hasaud. 
They  believe  in  a  Great  Spirit,  the  creator  and  preserver, 
who  presides  over  all  the  important  acts  of  life.  They  call 
him  Maguindose,  and  make  offerings  to  him  of  rice  and  fish. 
Polygamy  is  allowed  amongst  them,  but  from  what  I  saw 
is  not  much  practised.  When  a  Tagbanua  proposes  mar- 
riage to  the  object  of  his  affections,  he  leaves  at  the  door  of 
her  hut  the  fresh  trunk  of  a  banana  plant.  If  she  delays 
answering  till  the  trunk  has  withered,  he  understands  this 
as  a  negative,  and  the  damsel  is  spared  the  pain  of  verbally 
refusing  ;  but  if  she  approves  of  his  suit,  she  sends  him  her 
answer  in  good  time. 

The   lover   then    conveys   to  the   house  of  the  bride's 


THE    TAGBANUAS :    COURTSHIP  313 

parents,  where  all  her  relations  are  assembled,  large  baskets 
of  boiled  rice.  He  takes  a  morsel  of  this  and  places  it  in 
the  mouth  of  the  girl,  she  then  does  the  same  to  him,  and 
by  this  symbolic  act  they  assume  the  responsibilities  of 
matrimony.  This  particular  ceremony  is  common  to  many 
Philippine  tribes.  The  remainder  of  the  cooked  rice 
furnishes  the  basis  of  the  marriage  feast. 

They  are  said  to  cruelly  punish  adultery  ;  on  the  other 
hand,  divorce  is  easily  obtained. 

When  one  of  their  number  is  very  ill,  they  get  up  a 
concert  (.')  of  gongs  and  drums  with  the  hope  of  curing 
him,  and  during  the  performance  nobody  must  approach 
the  patient's  couch.  I  could  not  learn  whether  the  music 
was  intended  to  cheer  up  the  sick  person,  or  to  frighten 
away  the  evil  spirit,  which  they  look  upon  as  the  cause  of 
his  malady  ;  but  I  incline  to  the  latter  belief,  because  the 
so-called  music  is  calculated  to  frighten  away  any  living 
thing. 

If,  however,  the  patient  does  not  improve,  he  is  then 
consulted  as  to  where  he  would  like  to  be  buried,  and  about 
other  details  of  the  ceremony  and  funeral  feast.  This 
reminds  me  that  I  have  read  of  a  Scotchwoman  consulting 
her  dying  husband  as  to  whether  the  scones  to  be  made 
for  his  funeral  should  be  square  or  round.  Such,  however, 
is  the  custom  of  the  Tagbaniias. 

Immediately  after  death  the  relatives  place  by  the 
corpse  the  weapons  and  effects  belonging  to  the  deceased 
and  sprinkle  ashes  on  the  floor  all  around — then  they  retire 
and  leave  the  dead  alone  for  a  time.  Later  on,  they  return 
and  carefully  examine  the  ashes  to  see  whether  the  soul 
of  the  defunct,  when  abandoning  the  body,  left  any  foot- 
marks. 

Then,  forming  a  circle  round  the  dead,  they  chant  a 
dirge  in  honour  of  the  departed,  after  which  they  commit 
his  body  to  the  earth  in  the  midst  of  his  cleared  land, 
unless  he  has  selected  some  other  spot,  burying  with  him 
his  arms  and  utensils,  not  forgetting  the  wood-knife  and  a 
liberal  ration  of  cooked  rice  and  condiments  for  his  journey 
to  the  other  world.  They  then  abandon  both  hut  and  land 
and  never  return  to  it.  They  bury  small  children  in  jars 
called  basinganis. 

I  was  much  interested  in  these  people,  and  felt  a  great 
pity  for  them.  All  energy  and  determination  seemed  to 
have  been  crushed  out  of  them  by  centuries  of  oppression 


314     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


from  their  predatory  neighbours,  and  when  at  Icist  the 
Spanish  gun-boats  delivered  them  from  these  periodical 
attacks,  they  were  held  in  what  was  practically  slavery  by 
their  half-caste  or  Chinese  creditors.  The  respectability 
of  a  Tagbaniia  is  measured  by  the  weight  of  gongs  he 
possesses,  just  as  the  importance  of  a  Malay  pirate-chief 
depends  on  the  weight  of  brass-guns  he  owns. 

The  half-castes,  or  Chinese,  will  supply  them  with  a 
brass-gong  worth,  say  $5,  for  which  they  charge  them  thirty 
dollars  to  account.  This  must  be  paid  in  almaciga  (gum- 
dammar)  at  $5  per  picul.  Consequently  the  poor  savage 
has  to  supply  six  piculs  of  almdciga.  Now  this  gum  was 
worth  ^12  per  picul  in  Singapore,  and  the  freight  was 
trifling.  Consequently  the  savage  pays  the  greedy  half- 
caste,  or  avaricious  Chinaman,  $72  worth  of  gum  (less 
expenses)  for  a  $5  gong,  and  these  rascally  usurers  take 
care  that  the  savage  never  gets  out  of  their  debt  as  long 
as  he  lives,  and  makes  his  sons  take  over  his  debt  when  he 
dies.  These  terms  are  considered  very  moderate  indeed  ; 
when  I  come  to  speak  of  Mindanao  I  shall  quote  some 
much  more  striking  trade  figures.  Many  of  the  traders 
there  would  think  it  very  bad  business  to  get  only  $72  for 
goods  costing  $5. 

Instead,  therefore,  of  being  allowed  to  till  their  land, 
these  people  are  hurried  off  to  the  most  distant  and  least 
accessible  forests  to  dig  for  almaciga.  This  gum  is  found 
in  crevices  in  the  earth  amongst  the  roots  of  secular  trees. 
I  was  assured  that  deposits  had  been  found  of  25  piculs  in 
one  place — more  than  a  ton  and  a  half,  but  such  finds  are 
rare,  as  the  gum  is  now  scarce.  The  savage  has  to  hide 
or  guard  his  treasure  when  found,  and  he  or  his  family 
must  transport  it  on  their  backs  for  twenty,  thirty,  or  forty 
miles,  as  the  case  may  be,  making  repeated  journeys  to 
deliver  it  to  their  creditor.  I  think  this  hard  work,  and 
want  of  good  food,  explains  the  emaciation  I  noticed 
amongst  these  people.  Some  few  of  them  were  not  in 
debt.  Near  Inagahiian,  I  found  a  man  named  Amasa  who 
had  a  small  cane-field,  and  was  at  work  squeezing  the  cane 
with  a  great  lever-press,  which  reminded  me  of  the  wine- 
presses in  Teneriffe.  The  lever  was  made  of  the  trunk  of 
a  tree  ;  the  fulcrum  was  a  growing  tree,  whilst  the  pressing 
block  was  a  tree-stump  hollowed  at  the  top.  The  juice 
was  boiled  to  a  thick  syrup,  and  found  a  ready  sale  in 
the  neighbourhood.     Amasa  was  the  biggest  and  strongest 


THE    TAGBANUAS :    THEIR  MUSIC  315 

man  I  saw  amongst  the  Tagbanuas,  and  stood  five  feet 
nine  inches  high.  He  possessed  a  comfortable  house  and 
clothes,  yet  he  accompanied  me  on  one  of  my  journeys 
as  a  porter,  but  the  exposure  at  night  was  too  much  for 
him,  and  he  had  an  attack  of  fever  when  he  returned.  Near 
Amasa  lived  a  Christian  woman  named  Ignacia,  a  widow. 
She  had  lived  ten  years  in  one  place,  and  had  an  abundant 
supply  of  paddy  stored  in  huge  baskets  in  her  house.  She 
also  had  a  plantation  of  cacao  trees,  many  of  them  in  full 
bearing.  They  were  rather  neglected,  but  had  grown  remark- 
ably.    I  bought  some  of  her  produce  for  my  own  use. 

I  was  surprised  to  find  that  the  Tagbanuas  could  read 
and  write ;  one  day  I  observed  a  messenger  hand  to  one 
of  them  a  strip  of  bark  with  some  figures  scratched  on  it, 
which  the  latter  proceeded  to  read,  and  on  inquiring  from 
the  missionary,  I  learnt  that  they  had  an  alphabet  of  sixteen 
or  seventeen  letters.  I  obtained  a  copy  of  this  from  the 
Padre  Zapater,  and  it  will  be  found  on  page  319,  They 
do  not  use  a  pen,  but  scratch  the  letters  with  the  point  of 
a  knife,  or  with  a  nail,  or  thorn. 

The  Tagbanuas  are  very  fond  of  music  and  dancing. 
On  the  evening  of  my  arrival  at  Yuahit,  a  collection  of 
about  a  dozen  huts  with  forty  inhabitants,  they  gave  an 
open-air  performance  in  my  honour.  My  party  consisted 
of  a  boat's-crew  of  eight  Tagal  sailors  of  the  Navy,  two 
servants,  an  interpreter,  and  two  companions.  The  orchestra 
consisted  of  four  brass  gongs  of  varying  sizes,  and  a  tom- 
tom. Torches  were  stuck  in  the  ground  to  illuminate  the 
scene,  and  the  whole  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  hamlet  turned 
out  and  watched  the  proceedings  with  greatest  interest. 
The  dances  were  performed  by  men,  women,  and  children, 
one  at  a  time,  and  were  perfectly  modest  and  graceful. 
The  women  were  dressed  in  shirts  and  bright-coloured 
patadions,  and  were  adorned  with  silver  rings,  brass  bangles, 
and  armlets,  some  had  strings  of  beads  round  their  necks. 
The  best  dance  was  performed  by  a  young  woman,  holding 
in  each  hand  a  piece  of  a  branch  of  the  bread-fruit  tree, 
which  they  call  Rima,  with  two  of  the  large  handsome 
leaves.  These  she  waved  about  veiy  gracefully  in  harmony 
with  her  movements.  The  spectators  behaved  very  well, 
and  were  careful  not  to  crowd  round  me.  I  rewarded  the 
dancers  with  beads  and  handkerchiefs,  and  the  musicians 
with  cigars.  This  dancing  seemed  to  me  a  very  innocent 
amusement,   but  I  was  sorry  to  find  that  the  missionary 


3i6     THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

took  a  difTerent  view.  He  associated  the  dances  with 
heathen  rites  and  forbade  them,  confiscating  the  dearly- 
bought  gongs  of  his  converts,  as  he  said  they  were  used 
to  call  up  evil  spirits.  However,  I  observed  that  he  had 
hung  up  the  largest  gong  to  serve  as  a  church-bell,  after 
having  sprinkled  it  with  holy  water.  I  remembered  having 
read  how  the  Moravian  missionaries  in  Greenland  put  a 
stop  to  the  dancing  which  formerly  enlivened  the  long  dark 
winter  of  that  desolate  region,  and  I  asked  myself  why  the 
Christian  missionary,  whether  teaching  in  the  icy  gloom  of 
the  Arctic  circle,  or  in  brilliant  sunshine  on  a  palm-fringed 
strand,  must  forbid  his  converts  to  indulge  in  such  a 
healthful  and  harmless  recreation,  in  both  cases  almost 
the  sole  possible  amusement.  I  could  see  no  reason  why 
the  heathen  should  have  all  the  fun.  The  labours  of  the 
missionary  were,  however,  very  much  to  the  benefit  of 
the  Tagbanuas,  as  inducing  them  to  settle  down,  build 
houses,  and  raise  crops  for  their  support. 

The  Spanish  gun-boats  had  stopped  the  inroads  of 
Moros  by  sea,  and  detachments  of  native  troops  along 
the  coast  stopped  the  raiding  by  land.  For  twenty  years 
the  Tagbanuas  had  suffered  little,  and  for  several  years 
absolutely  nothing  from  the  Moros,  yet  they  apparently 
could  not  realise  their  security,  and  were  afraid  to  accu- 
mulate anything  lest  it  should  be  taken  from  them.  To 
the  ravages  of  the  pirate,  there  has  succeeded  the  extortion 
of  the  usurer,  and  John  Chinaman  waxes  fat  whilst  the 
wretched  Tagbanua  starves. 

Whilst  travelling  through  the  jungle  I  found  some 
natives  cutting  canes,  and  my  interpreter  pointed  out  to 
me  an  emaciated  couple,  and  assured  me  that  during  the 
famine  of  the  previous  season,  these  poor  wretches  had 
killed  and  eaten  their  own  child  to  save  their  lives.  What 
a  state  of  things  in  a  country  where  maize  will  grow  up  and 
give  edible  grain  in  forty-two  days  from  the  date  of  planting 
it !  I  trust  that  the  change  of  government  may  result  in 
some  benefit  to  these  poor  people,  and  that  a  Governor  or 
Protector  of  Aborigines  may  be  appointed  with  absolute 
power  who  will  check  the  abuses  of  the  half-caste  and 
Chinese  usurers,  and  give  the  poor  down-trodden  Tag- 
banuas, at  one  time  I  firmly  believe  a  comparatively 
civilised  people,  a  chance  to  live  and  thrive. 


MOROS   OF  SOUTHERN  PALAWAN  317 


Tandulanos. 

The  Tandulanos  are  physically  similar  to  the  Negritos, 
but  less  robust.  They  inhabit  the  shores  of  Palawan,  being 
scattered  along  the  western  coast  between  the  Bay  of 
Malampaya  and  Caruray.  They  are  more  savage  than  the 
other  races  of  the  island,  but  they  fulfil  their  engagements 
with  rigorous  exactness.  They  make  rough  canoes,  and 
subsist  principally  on  fish  and  shell-fish,  and  they  do  no 
cultivation.  They  are  very  skilful  in  the  use  of  the  harpoon 
which  they  employ  for  fishing.  If  they  can  obtain  iron, 
they  use  it  for  their  harpoon-points,  otherwise  they  point 
them  with  the  spike  from  the  tail  of  a  skate. 

They  use  a  most  active  poison  on  their  harpoons  and 
darts,  so  much  so,  that  it  is  said  to  produce  almost  instan- 
taneous death. 

This  poison  is  unknown  to  the  other  tribes.  They 
refuse  to  sell  their  cerbatanas,  or  blow-pipes,  from  which 
they  shoot  their  darts. 

They  are  said  to  intermarry  indiscriminately,  without 
regard  to  kinship.  Their  number  was  computed  at  1500 
in  the  year  1888,  and  they  are  probably  not  much  more 
numerous  now. 

These  people  are,  like  the  Negritos,  whom  they  resemble, 
a  hopeless  race,  not  capable  of  advancing  in  civilisation. 

Manguianes  and  Negritos  of  Palawan. 

These  people  have  been  described  under  the  heading 
Aetas  or  Negritos,  in  Part  I.  The  first-named  inhabit  the 
interior  of  that  part  of  the  island  occupied  by  the  Moros 
who  jealously  prevent  them  from  holding  any  intercourse 
with  strangers. 

Moros  of  Southern  Palawan. — These  people  do  not  differ 
in  any  essential  particular  from  the  Moros  of  Mindanao. 
They  look  back  with  regret  on  the  good  old  days  before 
the  advent  of  the  steam  gun-boats,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  fortified  posts  along  their  shores  when  they  could 
make  their  annual  raids  and  massacre,  plunder,  and  enslave, 
the  wretched  Tagbamias  without  interference.  They  will 
doubtless  take  full  advantage  of  any  negligence  of  the 
United  States  authorities  to  keep  up  the  gun-boat  flotilla, 
and  to  maintain  the  military  posts. 


31 8      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


They  now  live  by  agriculture,  all  the  labour  being 
performed  by  slaves,  and  by  trading  with  the  savages  of 
the  mountains,  vying  with  the  Christians  in  usurious 
rapacity. 

John  Chinaman  in  Palawan  is  just  the  same  as  his 
brother  in  Mindanao — a  remorseless  usurer,  and  a  skilful 
manipulator  of  false  weights  and  measures,  but  no  worse 
in  the  treatment  of  the  unhappy  aboriginal  than  the 
Christian  native  or  half-caste. 

Puerto  Princesa,  the  capital,  had  a  population  at  the 
time  of  my  visit  in  1890  of  about  1500,  of  which  number 
1200  were  males  and  300  females.  About  half  the  males 
were  soldiers  and  sailors,  one-fourth  convicts,  and  the 
remainder  civilians.  Most  of  the  women  had  been  deported 
from  Manila  as  undesirable  characters  in  that  decorous  city. 
Notwithstanding  their  unsavoury  antecedents,  they  found 
new  husbands  or  protectors  in  Puerto  Princesa  the  moment 
they  landed.  Such  was  the  competition  for  these  very 
soiled  doves,  that  most  of  them  had  made  their  new 
arrangements  before  leaving  the  jetty  alongside  which  the 
steamer  they  arrived  in  lay. 

There  was  some  little  cultivation  round  about  the 
capital,  but  as  usual  trading  with  the  aborigines  for  gum, 
rattans,  balate,  green  snail-shells,  and  other  jungle  produce 
was  the  most  entrancing  pursuit. 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  town  was  a  Government 
Sugar  Plantation,  which  I  visited.  If  sugar  planting  could 
flourish  anywhere,  it  surely  should  have  done  so  here,  for 
the  land  cost  nothing,  the  convicts  did  all  the  unskilled 
labour  and  the  machinery  was  paid  for  by  the  Government. 
Yet  the  blighting  influence  of  the  official  mind  succeeded 
even  here  in  causing  the  place  to  be  run  at  a  loss.  The 
sugar  badly  prepared  was  shipped  to  Manila  to  be  sold  at 
a  reduced  price,  and  sugar  for  the  troops  and  general  use 
was  imported  from  other  parts. 

The  governor  of  the  island,  during  the  later  period  of 
Spanish  rule,  has  usually  been  a  naval  officer,  and  as  the 
communications  are  principally  by  sea,  and  any  punitive 
operations  have  to  be  performed  by  the  gun-boat  flotilla, 
this  would  seem  to  be  a  precedent  the  United  States  might 
follow  with  advantage. 


THE   TAGBANUA   ALPHABET  319 


TagbanOa  Alphabet. 

Communicated  to  F.  H.  Sawyer  by  Fray  Lorenzo  Zapatcr, 
Missionary  at  Inagdhuan,  Palawan. 

^  Ngng 

''(uJ      Gg 
"tr^      Nn 

>S         Mm 

O  S  S 

11       L  or  R 
^O^'vv      1  or  r 


1     T 

H 

Qq 

T5"' 

Pp 

>VV\/^ 

0  or  U 
0  or  u 

's 

Eor  I 
e  or  i 

V 

Dd 

V 

Cc 

•'o^ 

Bb 

^ 


-V 


\s 


Aa 


Vowels. 


a 


r 


A^.^. — The  Roman  letters  are  to  be  pronounced  as  in  Spanish  and 
the  Tagbanua  correspondingly,  Ah,  bay,  say,  day,  aye  or  ee,  o  or  00, 
pay,  ku,  etc. 

Notes  by  the  Padre  Zapater. 

(Translation.) 

I.  The  consonants  in  the  Tagbanua  alphabet  are  eleven  and 
sometimes  twelve,  but  the  vowels  are  three,  since  the  ia  and  the  oa 
which  are  vowels,  are  compound  letters,  although  strictly  they  may 
be  considered  as  vowelj<,  but  the  ia  and  the  ua  are  written  the  same, 
as  has  been  said. 


320      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

2.  In  reading  the  Tagbaniia  alphabet,  you  begin  from  the  bottom 
upwards. 

3.  To  write  the  consonants  with  their  vowels,  for  example,  ba,  be, 
bi,  bo,  bu,  you  put  a  dash  at  the  right  or  left.  If  on  the  right,  it  means 
be,  bi,  and  if  on  the  left  of  the  consonant  bo,  bu. 


N.B. — Father  Zapater's  note  3  is  somewhat  obscure,  or 
rather  badly  expressed,  It  perhaps  ought  to  have  been 
said  that  a  dash  right  and  left  means  ba. 


(      321      ) 


PART    III. 

MINDANAO,  INCLUDING   BASILAN. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 

BRIEF   GEOGRAPHICAL   DESCRIPTION. 

Configuration — Mountains — Rivers — Lakes— Division  into  districts — 
Administration — Productions — Basilan. 

MINDANAO  is  of  a  veiy  irregular  shape,  which  it  is  not 
easy  to  describe.  It  has  some  resemblance  to  a  winged 
skate,  with  a  long  tail,  one  of  the  Raiidcs,  which  is  common 
in  Manila  Bay.  The  head  of  the  skate  is  turned  to  the 
east ;  the  peninsula  of  Surigao  forms  the  northern  wing, 
and  Punta  Panguian  the  tip  of  the  southern  wing,  out  of 
which,  however,  a  great  piece  has  been  bitten,  corresponding 
to  the  Gulf  of  Davao.  The  body  is  represented  by  the 
main  part  of  the  island,  and  the  tail  commences  at  the 
isthmus  of  Tucuran  and  stretches  westward  for  a  degree  of 
longitude.  This  straight  part  is  the  old  kingdom  of  Sibuguey. 
On  the  north  of  it,  however,  a  huge  excrescence  appears  ; 
this  is  the  peninsula  of  Dapitan,  and  on  the  south,  opposite 
to  it,  there  is  a  similar  projection,  which  is  cut  in  two  by 
the  Gulf  of  Dumanquilas. 

Mt.  Silingan  represents  the  spike  or  hook  usually  found 
on  the  tails  of  these  fish,  and  from  here  the  tail  bends 
southward  and  westward  through  an  arc  of  60°.  This  part 
represents  the  peninsula  of  Zamboanga,  and  the  town  of 
that  name  is  situated  at  the  tip  of  the  tail.  A  continuous 
chain  of  mountains  down  the  centre  of  the  tail  represents 
the  vertebra. 

Beginning  on  the  east,  we  find   a  long  stretch  of  coast 
from  Surigao  to  Cape  San  Agustin  with  only  one  or  two 

Y 


322      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

anchorages  for  small  vessels.  The  rest  of  the  coast  is 
exposed  to  the  full  force  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  from 
November  to  April  is  quite  open  to  the  N.E.  monsoon.  It 
is  also  subject  to  tidal  waves  or  rollers  just  as  are  the  coasts 
of  Peru  and  Chili.  A  destructive  bore  enters  the  river 
mouths  and  inlets,  and  heavy  seas  get  up  off  all  the 
headlands.  In  the  channels  between  Surigao  and  the 
islands  off  the  northern  coasts,  rapid  currents  are  formed 
and  overfalls  render  navigation  dangerous  for  country- 
vessels.  In  fact,  during  the  strength  of  the  N.E.  monsoon 
the  east  coast,  from  Placer  to  the  Bay  of  Mayo,  is  hemmed 
in  with  surf,  and  without  a  single  port.  Behind  point 
Taucanan,  however,  is  found  Port  Balete  and  Port  Pujada. 
This  latter  is  the  best  port  in  the  island,  being  well 
sheltered  from  the  N.  and  N.E.  The  country  about  it  is 
well  watered,  and  produces  timber  trees  of  great  size  and 
fine  quality.  The  waters  contain  plenty  of  fish,  and  turtle, 
also  some  mother-of-pearl  shells.  The  forests  give  the 
best  kinds  of  almdciga,  and  wax. 

The  hill-men  are  partly  independent  but  pacific,  and 
the  Visaya  population  is  considerable  in  the  district  of 
Mati. 

In  general,  the  east  coast  is  rocky,  and  very  foul  in 
many  places.  The  land  is  fertile  and  well-wooded.  Gold 
is  found  in  the  Cordillera,  and  on  its  eastern  slopes  all 
the  way  from  Surigao  to  Punta  Tagobong.  One  of  the 
northern  towns  is  called  Placer  on  this  account.  The 
inaccessibility  of  the  east  coast  during  the  strength  of  the 
N.E.  monsoon  has  retarded  the  civilisation  of  Surigao 
which  was  settled  in  the  early  years  of  the  conquest.  The 
Caraga-Visaya,  who  inhabit  a  considerable  district  on  this 
coast,  are  old  Christians  and  have  always  been  ready  to 
fight  for  their  faith. 

Practically  parallel  to  this  coast  is  a  chain  of  mountains 
which  begins  at  Surigao  and  extends  down  to  Punta  San 
Agustin  with  hardly  a  break.  I  shall  call  this  the  eastern 
Cordillera.  In  this  chain,  near  the  northern  end,  lies  Lake 
Mainit  (Hot  Lake),  having  steep  sides  with  twenty  fathoms 
close  to  the  edge,  and  two  hundred  fathoms  in  the  middle. 
This  cavity  has,  no  doubt,  been  formed  by  volcanic  action, 
like  the  lake  of  Taal.  On  the  slopes  of  the  mountains 
around  it  are  many  thermal  springs  which  run  into  the  lake, 
and  in  rainy  weather  the  summits  are  always  shrouded  in 
vapour  by  the  evaporation  of  the  rain. 


MINDANAO :    MOUNTAINS  323 

The  lake  is  subject  to  tremendous  floods.  Dr.  Montano, 
who  visited  it  in  December,  1880,  speaks  of  a  rise  of  twelve 
fathoms.  He  also  says  that  a  ground-swell  gets  up  in  this 
sheltered  lake  ;  this  must  be  from  some  modified  volcanic 
action  still  going  on.  As  usual  in  Philippine  crater-lakes, 
this  is  a  great  breeding-place  for  alligators. 

The  Eastern  Cordillera  being  so  near  the  coast,  there 
are  of  course  no  navigable  rivers  running  into  the  Pacific, 
but  the  streams  become  impassable  torrents  during  the 
heavy  rains  which  begin  in  June,  and  prevent  communica- 
tion by  land  for  many  days  or  even  weeks  at  a  stretch. 

Approximately  parallel  to  the  Eastern  Cordillera,  and  at 
about  fifty  geographical  miles  distance,  there  stands  another 
range  which  I  shall  call  the  Central  Cordillera.  A  line 
drawn  from  Punta  Diuata  to  the  middle  of  the  Gulf  of 
Sarangani,  nearly  due  north  and  south,  intersects  Mt. 
Sinalagao,  Mt.  Panamoyan,  the  active  volcano,  Mt.  Apo 
and  Mt.  Matutuan,  which  appear  to  be  the  loftiest  peaks  of 
the  range. 

From  Mt.  Panamoyan  in  about  7°  50'  N.  Lat.  a  spur 
strikes  eastwards  at  right  angles  to  the  range,  reaching 
half-way  across  the  valley.  This  spur  then  turns  to  the 
south  parallel  to  the  range  for  some  twenty  miles,  and 
from  the  middle  of  the  east  and  west  part,  another  spur 
turns  south  for  about  20  miles,  thus  forming  a  letter  E 
with  the  points  looking  south. 

In  the  wide  valley  between  the  Eastern  and  Central 
Cordilleras,  and  taking  the  drainage  of  the  whole  watershed 
is  the  River  Agusan.  Rising  about  the  7th  parallel  on  the 
slopes  of  Mt.  Tagoppo,  this  river  runs  a  very  sinuous  course 
in  a  general  northerly  direction,  but  inclining  slightly  to  the 
west,  receiving  innumerable  tributaries  on  either  side.  At 
about  8°  15'  N.  Lat.  the  Agusan  expands  or  overflows, 
forming  a  series  of  shallow  lakes,  choked  up  with  driftwood 
and  vegetation,  and  varying  in  extent  with  the  rainfall. 

Continually  gathering  volume,  it  runs  into  the  Bay  of 
Butuan  about  9^  N.  Lat. 

At  Moncayo,  in  7^  45'  N.  Lat.,  the  Agusan  is  one 
hundred  yards  wide,  and  is  navigable  for  canoes  even  much 
higher  up. 

The  spur  previously  spoken  of  as  striking  east  and 
south  from  Mt.  Panamoyan,  forms  two  small  watersheds. 
The  western  one  gives  rise  to  the  River  Libaganon,  and 
the  eastern  to  the  River  Salug.     Both  these  rivers  run  in  a 

Y  2 


324      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

southerly  direction,  and  unite  to  form  the  River  Tagum,  which 
runs  for  a  short  distance  S.E.  and  falls  into  the  head  of  the 
Gulf  of  Davao. 

A  little  way  south  of  Mt.  Panamoyan  some  mountain 
streams  dash  down  the  sides  of  the  Cordillera  and  running 
through  a  gap  unite  to  form  the  River  Davao  which  flows 
in  a  south-easterly  direction  till  it  reaches  the  plain,  when  it 
changes  its  course  and  runs  east  into  the  Gulf  of  Davao. 
From  Point  Sipaca,  in  (f  N.  Lat.,  a  range  of  mountains 
stretches  in  a  southerly  direction  for  about  sixty  miles. 
Amongt  these  are  Mt.  Sipaca,  Mt.  Saorag,  and  Mt. 
Ouimanquil.  With  the  Central  Cordillera  this  range  forms 
a  watershed,  and  the  torrents  on  the  steep  sides  of  Sinalagao 
and  Ouimanquil  dash  down  and  take  a  southerly  direction 
to  form  the  headwaters  of  the  River  Pulangui  and  ultimately 
become  the  Rio  Grande.  In  7°  50'  N.  Lat.  two  important 
affluents  join,  the  River  Sauaga  and  the  River  Malupati,  a  few 
miles  lower  the  Calibatojan  and  the  Kaya-Kaya  bring  their 
tribute,  and  the  united  flood  with  rapid  current  casts 
itself  headlong  into  the  deep  Caiion  of  Locosocan  and 
runs  in  this  for  over  four  miles  to  Salagalpon,  where  another 
cataract  occurs.  The  river  continues  for  miles  a  rushing 
torrent  amongst  huge  boulders,  at  the  bottom  of  this  cleft, 
so  narrow  in  places,  where  the  rocks  jut  out  and  nearly 
meet  overhead,  that  it  seems  like  a  tunnel.  In  7°  46' 
N.  Lat.  there  is  a  small  volcano  close  to  the  left  bank 
which,  whenever,  it  rains,  becomes  active  and  gives  off 
stifling  fumes  of  sulphur.  At  Mantanil,  in  7°  40'  N.,  the 
river  can  be  navigated  on  bamboo  rafts,  handled  by  skilled 
Manobo  pilots,  but  not  without  much  risk ;  for  some 
distance  down  there  are  two  hichis,  or  sinks,  where  the 
water  runs  down  into  subterraneous  passages  through  the 
river-bed,  forming  dangerous  whirlpools.  There  are  also 
several  rapids  which  require  great  dexterity  to  pass  safely. 
The  banks  are  still  high  ;  but,  on  approaching  the  confluence 
of  the  Kulaman  river,  on  the  left  bank,  the  gorge  is  much 
lower,  and  on  arriving  at  Hang  the  country  opens  out. 

South  of  the  confluence  of  the  River  Molita,  vintas  can 
navigate  the  river,  and  a  little  lower  down,  at  the  confluence 
of  the  River  Simuni,  is  the  place  reached  by  the  gunboat 
Taal  in  1863  on  a  6-foot  draught.  The  river  now  runs  in  a 
southerly  and  westerly  direction,  with  dozens  of  bends  till 
about  6°  45'  N.  Lat.,  when,  on  reaching  Lake  Liguasan 
(really  a  Pinag)  a  shallow  and  weedy  expanse  of  water,  it 


MINDANAO:    RIVERS  325 

turns  to  the  west,  and  then  north-west.  At  Tumbao  it 
bifurcates,  and  enters  the  Bay  of  I  liana  by  two  mouths 
forming  a  long  narrow  delta  of  deep  and  rich  alluvial  soil. 

From  Tumbao  to  Tamontaca  is  the  most  beautiful  and 
fertile  part  of  this  river.  On  both  banks  grow  cocoa-palms, 
areca-palms,  banana  and  cacao-trees,  cofifee-bushes,  and 
hemp  plants  in  abundance,  and  amongst  them  arc  groups 
of  native  houses  forming  a  continuous  village,  of  which  the 
placid  river,  here  fifty  yards  wide,  forms  the  main  street. 
These  houses  are  mostly  occupied  by  friendly  Moros. 

Nearly  parallel  to  the  Sipaca-Soarag-Quimanquil  range 
a  second  range  stretches  irregularly  in  a  north  and  south 
line,  ending  at  the  coast  near  Cagayan.  Amongst  these 
mountains  is  Mt.  Quitanglag.  From  Pt.  Sulanan  the 
western  extremity  of  the  Bay  of  Macajalar,  a  third  range 
stretches  south,  then  south-east,  then  south  again  for  some 
thirty  miles.  Between  this  range  and  the  Bay  of  Iligan 
there  is  a  fourth  range  of  hills.  These  four  ranges  form 
three  valleys  or  watersheds,  each  of  which  has  its  river,  with 
a  general  course  from  south  to  north,  all  three  running  into 
the  Bay  of  Macajalar. 

The  most  easterly  is  the  River  of  Tagoloan  which  has 
fourteen  tributaries,  the  next  is  the  River  Cagayan  with  only 
three,  then  the  River  Capay  with  seven  tributaries,  all  on 
the  left  bank. 

Proceeding  westward  we  come  to  the  great  and  deep 
Lake  of  Lanao,  described  under  the  heading  Moros,  but 
which  has  never  been  surveyed,  and  then  to  the  Gulf 
of  Panguil,  which,  on  the  map,  looks  like  a  forearm  and 
clenched  fist,  which  nearly  cuts  Mindanao  in  two.  The 
isthmus  is  only  fourteen  miles  across  in  a  straight  line. 

This  was  formerly  a  regular  pirates'  track,  over  which 
they  hauled  their  vessels,  but  it  was  till  lately  guarded  by 
a  chain  of  forts  connected  by  a  military  road  called  the 
Trocha  of  Tucuran. 

Two  rivers  running  in  a  general  direction  from  west  to 
east  and  having  between  them  a  dozen  tributaries,  run  into 
the  Gulf  of  Panguil.  The  most  northerly  of  the  two  is  the 
Mipangi  and  the  other  is  the  Lintogo. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  peninsula  of  Sibuguey  which  I 
have  likened  to  the  tail  of  the  skate.  Around  Lake  Lanao 
there  is  an  irregular  loop  of  hills,  and  from  the  western  end 
of  this  starts  a  cordillera  which  stretches  right  down  the 
centre  of  the  peninsula  of  Sibuguey  and  Zamboanga.     A 


326      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

line  drawn  from  Punta  Sicayati  (in  the  Dapitan  excrescence) 
to  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Gulf  of  Dumanquilas  will  inter- 
sect a  range  of  mountains  which  cross  the  Cordillera  of 
Sibugucy  nearly  at  right  angles  and  with  equal  arms  north 
and  south.  But  the  end  of  the  northern  arm  bifurcates  and 
throws  out  two  ranges  N.E.  and  N.W. 

In  the  watershed  thus  formed  three  rivers  take  their 
rise,  and  have  a  general  course  from  south  to  north  but 
bearing  a  little  to  the  westward.  The  easternmost  of  these 
is  called  the  Dapitan,  and  runs  into  the  bay  of  the  same 
name.  The  next  is  the  Dipolog,  which  runs  into  the  sea 
west  of  Punta  Sicayab  ;  and  the  last  is  the  Lubungan, 
running  in  about  two  leagues  more  to  the  west. 

The  other  rivers  in  the  peninsula  are  so  unimportant 
that  I  do  not  enumerate  them.  Like  those  on  the  east 
coast  they  become  raging  torrents  in  the  rainy  season. 

On  the  northern  and  southern  coasts,  which  are  more 
protected  than  the  eastern,  sheltered  anchorages  are  to  be 
found  here  and  there,  but  no  such  fine  natural  harbours 
exist  as  abound  in  Southern  Luzon.  There  is,  however, 
less  need  for  them,  as  it  is  very  rare  that  the  typhoons, 
which  are  so  destructive  in  Luzon  and  the  Visayas,  cause 
damage  in  Mindanao,  except  at  its  northern  and  eastern 
corner.  But  for  service  on  these  coasts,  vessels  of  a  light 
draught  of  water  are  the  most  useful,  as  they  can  more 
easily  find  sheltered  anchorage. 

Mindanao  is  not  nearly  so  unhealthy  as  is  commonly 
supposed,  Zamboanga  and  neighbourhood,  Davao,  Surigao, 
Talisay,  and  several  other  places,  are  really  quite  healthy 
for  Europeans,  if  they  take  care  of  themselves. 

Earthquakes  are  frequent.  They  would  sometimes  be 
destructive,  but  there  is  so  little  in  the  way  of  buildings  to 
destroy. 

Divisions  for  Administrative  Pttrposes. 

Zamboanga  is  the  chief  military  station  and  the  residence 
of  the  commandant-general  of  the  island. 

Mindanao  is  divided  into  five  districts  : — 

1st.  District  chief  town  Zamboanga  (capital  of  the  island). 

2nd.       ,,  „        „      Misamis  (includes  Lake  Lanao). 

3rd.        „  „       „      Surigao  (includes  the  whole  king- 

dom of  Caraga,  also  the  valley 
of  the  Agusan). 


MINDANAO:    PRODUCTIONS  327 

4th.  District  chief  town  Davao  (shores  of  the  bay  and 

peninsula  of  San  Agustin). 

5th.         „  „        „      Cotta-bato  (valley   of  the    Rio 

Grande  and  ancient  Sultanate 
of  Buhayen). 

The  island  of  Basilan  forms  a  sixth  district  under  the 
commandant-general  of  Mindanao. 

Each  of  these  districts  was  under  a  politico-military 
governor  and  other  officials,  as  follows  : — 

1st  District,  Major,  Naval  Lieutenant,  Captain  of  Port. 

2nd       „        Lieut-Colonel. 

3rd        „        Lieut.-Colonel. 

4th        „        Major. 

5th        „        Lieut.-Colonel. 

6th        „        Naval  Lieutenant,  Naval  Station. 

Besides  these  politico-military  governors  there  were  the 
following  officers  in  charge  of  military  districts  : — 

Mumungan  in  2nd  district  (Fort  Weyler  and  vicinity  to 
look  after  the  Moros  of  Lake  Lanao)  Major. 

Dapitan  in  2nd  district  (To  look  after  the  Moros  of 
Sindangan  Bay)  Major. 

Bislig  in  3rd  district  (To  look  after  the  Mandayas  and 
Manobos)  Captain. 

To  attend  to  the  administration  of  justice  there  was  a 
third-class  judge  in  each  district.  From  their  decisions 
there  was  an  appeal  to  the  Audiencia  at  Cebii,  and  from 
there  to  the  Supreme  Court,  Madrid. 

In  Zamboanga  where  there  is  (or  was)  a  custom-house, 
there  resided  a  Treasury  delegate  of  the  second  class.  In 
each  of  the  other  districts  there  is  one  of  the  fourth  class. 

The  southern  naval  division  has  its  headquarters  at 
Isabela  de  Basilan. 

Productions  of  Mindanao. 

The  climate  and  soil  of  Mindanao  are  suitable  for 
growing  almost  any  tropical  crop  to  great  advantage  :  hemp, 
sugar  cane,  tobacco,  coffee,  cacao,  rice,  indigo,  sesame, 
maize,  sweet  potatoes,  pepper,  all  flourish.  But  the  island 
is  very  backward  ;  it  is  only  recently  that  the  savage  races 
have  been  settled  in  the  reducciones.  The  population  is 
very  sparse,  and  natives  are  more  addicted  to  washing  the 
sands  for  gold  or  seeking  jungle-produce  than  disposed  to 
apply  themselves  to_agriculture. 


328      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  exports  have  hitherto  been  very  small.  About  some 
of  the  northern  ports  a  good  beginning  has  been  made  in 
cultivating  and  preparing  hemp,  and  several  Spaniards  have 
laid  out  plantations  there. 

There  is  a  small  export  of  coffee  and  cacao,  and  the 
circumstance  that  the  greater  part  of  the  island  is  free  from 
typhoons  renders  it  exceptionally  favourable  for  planting 
these  valuable  products,  or  for  growing  unlimited  quantities 
of  cocoa-nut  for  making  copra.  For  the  same  reason  the 
timber  in  Mindanao  is  larger  than  in  the  best  districts  of 
Luzon,  and  some  of  the  trees  are  truly  magnificent. 
Mindanao,  with  its  inhabitants  busily  engaged  in  murdering 
their  neighbours  and  enslaving  their  children,  can,  of  course, 
never  prosper  ;  but  if  such  outrages  are  repressed,  and  peace 
assured,  the  population  will  rapidly  increase  and  agriculture 
will  prosper. 

Amongst  the  forest  produce  gutta-percha  took  a  leading 
place,  but  this  product  came  through  the  hands  of  the 
Chinese  traders,  who,  as  their  custom  is,  adulterated  it  to 
such  an  extent  that  its  value  became  greatly  depreciated  in 
European  and  American  markets,  and  the  trade  fell  off. 
Some  lignite  is  found  in  Mindanao,  but  I  have  no  con- 
fidence in  the  value  of  Philippine  coal-fields.  They  have 
been  too  much  broken  up  by  volcanic  action.  I  have  very 
little  doubt  that  petroleum  will  be  found  in  Mindanao 
when  it  is  explored.  It  has  been  reported  in  Mindoro 
and  Cebu. 

The  early  explorers  of  the  Archipelago  state  that  the 
natives  wore  little  clothes,  but  abundance  of  gold  ornaments. 
Now  they  wear  more  clothes  but  little  gold.  It  is  sur- 
prising how  quickly  the  heathen  become  impoverished 
whenever  they  have  Christian  neighbours. 

Basilan. 

The  sixth  district  of  Mindanao  is  formed  of  the  Basilan 
group  of  some  forty  islands  lying  opposite  to  Zamboanga, 
having  a  total  area  of  170,000  acres.  The  only  important 
one  of  the  group  is  Basilan  Island,  which  has  an  irregular 
outline,  an  oval  with  two  projections  opposite  each  other, 
east  and  west,  the  latter  resembles  a  turtle's  head  and  the 
former  a  turtle's  tail,  so  that  the  shape  of  the  island  on  the 
map  is  that  of  a  turtle  with  his  head  to  the  west.  The 
total  length  from  the  point  of  the  beak  to  the  tip  of  the 


BASILAN:    POPULATION  329 

tail  is  about  thirty-two  geographical  miles,  and  the  width 
across  the  body  about  twenty-one  miles.  The  port  of 
Isabela  is  sheltered  by  the  Island  of  Malamaui,  on  which 
there  is  a  Moro  rancheria  called  Lucbalan,  and  a  Christian 
visita,  Sta.  Barbara.  The  capital,  Isabela,  is  situated  about 
the  centre  of  the  channel,  and  to  the  east  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Pasahan  (now  called  Isabela)  River. 

To  the  south  of  the  town,  which  is  situated  on  a  stony 
slope  at  a  short  distance,  the  fort  is  placed  at  an  elevation 
of  about  sixty  feet  above  the  sea.  It  commands  both 
entrances  of  the  channel. 

There  is  a  barrack  near  the  fort,  a  prison,  military 
infirmary,  school,  town  hall.  The  naval  station  consists  of 
store-houses  and  workshops,  marine-barracks,  hospital,  and 
magazine. 

There  is  a  church,  and  missionaries'  residence.  The 
island  is  hilly  but  fertile  in  places.  Some  twenty  to  thirty 
acres  are  under  cultivation  near  Isabela,  and  the  Moros  who 
form  the  principal  population  make  their  slaves  work  on 
the  lands  about  their  hamlets.  There  are  no  manufactures 
worth  mentioning. 


The  Christian  population  is  as  follows : — 


Town  of  Isabela 

Hamlet  of  San  Pedro  de  Guihanan 
Hamlet  of  Santa  Barbara  . 
Reduccion  of  Panigayan     . 
Reduccion  of  Tabuc  . 
Scattered  Christians  . 
Members  of  the  Naval  Station 
Garrison  of  the  Fort . 


Inhabitants 
921 
130 

50 

25 

12 

13 

86 


,    ,  variable. 
40J 


1276 


The  Moro  population  is  distributed  in  about  fifty  villages 
or  hamlets.  They  can  turn  out  about  4400  fighting-men, 
and  are  considered  valiant  and  hardy. 

The  Moros  of  Basilan,  according  to  Father  Foradada, 
have  not  the  sanguinary  instincts  of  those  of  Lake  Lanao 
or  of  J0I6,  and  any  outrages  they  commit  are,  he  thinks, 
due  to  the  instigations  of  the  Moros  of  J0I6,  who  un- 
fortunately keep  up  a  communication  with  them  and 
corrupt  them. 

Amongst  the  most  influential  Dattos  of  Basilan  is 
Pedro  Cuevas,  a  Tagal.     He  was  formerly  a  convict,  but 


330     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


escaped,  and,  by  force  of  character  and  desperate  courage, 
he  became  a  leading  man  amongst  the  Moros.  Having 
rendered  some  services  to  Spain,  he  received  a  pardon,  and 
now  has  extensive  plantations,  a  sugar-mill,  and  herds  of 
cattle.  He  is,  in  fact,  about  the  richest  and  most  influential 
man  in  the  island,  and  has  become  reconciled  to  the  Church, 
and  was  much  trusted  both  by  the  military  and  naval 
authorities  and  by  the  missionaries. 

The    map   of  the   island   is   from  a  report   of  Father 
Cavalleria  who  went  by  sea  right  round  it  in  1893. 


(    331     ) 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE   TRIBES   OF   MINDANAO. 

Vis  ay  as  (i)   [Old  Christians']. 

In  another  part  of  the  book  I  have  given  a  description  of 
the  Visayas  in  their  own  islands,  and  have  spoken  of  their 
enterprise  and  industry  as  manifested  in  the  extent  of  their 
exports  of  sugar  and  hemp,  and  in  their  manufacture  of 
textiles  of  the  most  varied  kind. 

The  Visayas  of  Mindanao  have  been  modified  by  their 
environment  both  for  good  and  evil.  Thus  they  are  bolder 
and  more  warlike  than  their  brethren  at  home,  having  had 
for  centuries  to  defend  themselves  against  bloodthirsty 
Moros.  The  Visayas  of  Caraga  are  especially  valiant  and 
self-reliant,  and  they  needed  to  be  so,  for  the  Spaniards, 
whenever  hard  pressed  by  English,  Dutch  or  Portuguese, 
had  a  way  of  recalling  their  garrisons,  and  leaving  their 
dependents  to  shift  for  themselves.  The  Visaya  of 
Mindanao,  therefore,  though  not  a  soldier,  is  a  fighting- 
man,  and  their  towns  possess  a  rudimentary  defensive 
organisation  called  the  somaten.  This,  I  believe  is  a 
Catalan  word,  and  indicates  a  body  of  armed  townsmen 
called  together  by  the  church  bell  to  defend  the  place 
against  attack.     This  service  is  compulsory  and  unpaid. 

The  arms  have  been  supplied  by  the  Spanish  Govern- 
ment, and  have  generally  been  of  obsolete  pattern.  I  have 
seen  in  Culion  flint-lock  muskets  in  the  hands  of  the  guards. 
Latterly,  however.  Remington  rifles  have  been  supplied, 
and  they  are  very  serviceable  and  quite  suitable  for  these 
levies. 

The  Visayas  have  been  the  assistants  of  the  mission- 
aries, and   from   them   come   most  of  the  school-masters 


332      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

and  mistresses  who  instruct  the  children  of  the  recently- 
converted  natives. 

Their  language  is  fast  extending,  and  their  numbers  are 
increasing,  both  naturally,  and  by  a  considerable  voluntary 
immigration  from  the  southern  Visayas  Islands. 

To  the  inhabitants  of  these  small  islands,  fertile  Min- 
danao, with  its  broad  lands,  free  to  all,  is  what  the  United 
States  were  a  generation  ago  to  the  cotters  of  Cork  or 
Kerry — a  land  of  promise. 

There  is,  however,  a  demoralising  tendency  at  work 
amongst  the  Visayas.  The  profits  of  bartering  with  the 
hill-men  are  so  great,  that  they  are  tempted  away  from 
their  agriculture,  and  from  their  looms,  to  take  up  this 
lucrative  trade,  in  competition  with  the  Chinese. 

The  Visaya  has  one  great  advantage  over  the  China- 
man ;  he  has  the  courage  to  go  up  into  the  hills,  and  find 
his  cutomers  in  their  haunts.  This  the  Celestial  could  not 
do,  but  has  to  remain  at  his  store  on  the  coast  and  await 
the  hill-men. 

Both  traders  cheat  the  hill-tribes  most  abominably. 

Dr.  Montano  mentions  a  case  which  happened  in  Butuan 
in  December,  1879. 

A  Visaya  went  into  the  interior  taking  with  him  some 
threads  of  different  colours  which  he  had  purchased  for 
seventy-five  cents,  and  returned  with  jungle  produce  worth 
ten  dollars.  This  he  invested  in  beads,  brass-wire,  and 
other  articles  of  trade,  and  returned  to  the  woods.  In  a 
month  he  came  back,  bringing  produce  to  the  value  of 
100  dollars,  and  400  dollars  to  his  credit  with  the  natives. 

The  tribes  of  Mindanao  pay  their  debts  with  scrupulous 
exactness.  If  they  die  before  paying,  their  sons  assume 
the  debt,  and  unless  they  are  killed  or  taken  as  slaves  by 
other  races,  the  money  is  sure  to  be  paid.  Consequently, 
this  rapacious  usurer  had  sold  them  goods  costing  10  dollars, 
75  cents,  for  510  dollars,  of  which  no  dollars  in  cash,  and 
400  dollars  credit.  It  is  satisfactory  to  learn  that  the 
commandant  at  Butuan  made  him  disgorge,  and  freed  the 
hill-men  from  their  heavy  debt. 

To  sum  up,  the  Visaya  is  a  necessary  man  in  Mindanao, 
and  the  immigration  should  be  encouraged.  All  the  Visaya 
towns  bordering  on  the  Moros  should  have  their  somatenes 
armed,  exercised,  and  supplied  with  ammunition.  Amongst 
Visayas  are  to  be  found  plenty  of  men  well  suited  .0  com- 
mand these  bands.     As  they  are  fighting  the  Moros  for  Ufe 


JW 


'4'. 


* 


B^j^sSs* 


i^.%^zrsi^ 


j-Stt 


MANOBOS :    A    WARLIKE    TRIBE  333 

and  property,  they  may  be  trusted  to  stand  up   to  them 
manfully. 

The  illustration  shows  a  party  of  Visayas  militia 
belonging  to  the  town  of  Baganga,  in  Caraga,  under  a 
native  officer  of  gigantic  stature,  Lieutenant  Don  Prudencio 
Garcia. 

Mamam'ias  (2). 

A  hybrid  race  between  Negritos  and  Malays. 

They  are  not  numerous,  and  live  in  the  northern  pro- 
montory of  Surigao,  from  near  the  River  Agusan  to  the 
east  coast,  south  of  Lake  Mainit.  They  are,  indeed, 
miserable  wretches,  wandering  in  the  hills  and  forest 
without  any  fixed  habitation,  their  only  property  a  lance, 
a  bolo,  and  some  starveling  curs. 

Sometimes  they  plant  a  few  sweet  potatoes,  and  at 
certain  times  in  the  year  they  get  wild  honey  ;  at  other 
times  they  hunt  the  wild  pig.  They  lay  up  no  provisions, 
and  wander  about  naked  and  hungry.  They  are  difficult 
to  convert,  having  no  good  qualities  to  work  upon.  They 
promise  anything,  but  never  perform,  being  able  to  give  as 
a  reason — some  evil  omen,  for  instance — that,  on  coming 
out  in  the  morning,  they  have  heard  the  cry  of  the  turtle- 
dove {limbuciin)  on  the  left  hand. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  difficulties,  the  zeal  of  the 
missionaries  has  not  been  wasted,  and  several  reducciones 
of  Mamanuas  have  been  founded,  and  are  progressing  to 
some  extent. 

Manohos  (3). 

The  Manobos  are  a  warlike  heathen  race,  widely  ex- 
tended in  Mindanao.  The  great  River  Agusan,  taking  its 
rise  in  the  district  of  Davao,  in  'j'^  N.  latitude,  falls  into  the 
Bay  of  Butuan  about  9"  N.  latitude.  Its  general  course  is 
parallel  to  the  eastern  Cordillera,  from  which  it  receives 
.numerous  tributaries.  At  almost  8^  15'  N.  latitude  it  ex- 
pands, and  forms  four  considerable  lakes  of  no  great  depth, 
and  varying  in  extent  according  to  the  season.  They  are 
partly  covered  by  aquatic  plants.  These  lakes  are  called 
Linao,  Dagun,  Dinagat  and  Cadocun  ;  they  are  quite  near 
each  other.  The  Manobos  inhabit  this  spacious  valley 
from  Moncado,  in  7°  45',  to  about  8^  45'  N.  latitude  on  the 
right  bank,  where  they  come  in  contact  with  the  Mamanuas 
and  Mandayas  ;  but  on  the  left  bank  they  extend  nearly  to 


334      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

the  sea,  and  up  to  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Central  Cor- 
dillera, They  even  extend  over  the  Cordillera  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  Rio  Grande,  They  occupy  the  left  bank  of 
the  Pulangui,  and  their  southern  frontier  on  the  Rio  Grande 
is  at  7°  30'  N.  latitude,  where  one  of  their  chiefs,  called  the 
Datto  Capitan  Manobo,  lives.  The  river  is  navigable  for 
vi7itas  up  to  here,  and,  in  1863,  the  gunboat  Taal,  drawing 
six  feet,  steamed  to  within  five  miles  of  this  point,  say  up 
to  the  River  Simuni.  They  extend  up  the  Pulangui  to 
about  8°  15'  N.  latitude.  In  appearance  they  have  a 
Mongolian  cast  of  feature.  Their  faces  are  longer  than 
amongst  the  Mandayas  ;  their  noses  are  not  flattened,  but 
straight,  and  projecting,  and  slightly  curved  at  the  lower 
end.  Their  general  aspect  is  robust  ;  their  stature  is  about 
5  feet  7  inches.  Their  usual  dress  consists  of  short  drawers 
reaching  to  the  knee,  and  a  sort  of  singlet,  or  short  shirt. 

They  live  in  clans  under  a  bagani,  or  head-murderer 
(see  Mandayas  for  explanation),  who  is  usually  accompanied 
by  his  brothers-in-law.  They  are  polygamists  ;  still,  the 
first  wife  is  the  head,  and  all  the  others  must  obey  her. 
Each  wife  has  her  own  house,  just  as  the  late  Brigham 
Young's  harem  had  at  Salt  Lake  City.  But  they  are 
satisfied  with  fewer  than  that  prophet,  there  being  none 
amongst  their  dattos  who  have  nineteen  wives.  They  are 
slaveholders,  as  the  children  taken  in  war  become  slaves^ 
and  all  the  work  of  cultivation  is  done  by  the  women,, 
children  and  slaves. 

Their  houses  are  built  on  piles,  as  are  also  their 
granaries.  They  cultivate  on  a  considerable  scale,  and 
raise  quantities  of  rice,  maize,  sweet  potatoes  and  tobacco, 
not  only  to  supply  their  own  wants,  but  to  sell  in  boat-loads 
to  the  Visayas.  Their  arms  are  lances,  shields,  swords  and 
daggers,  and,  in  some  parts,  bows  and  arrows.  They  are 
said  to  be  expert  archers  where  they  use  the  bow.  They 
raise  numbers  of  horses  for  riding. 

In  valour,  and  in  disposition  to  come  to  close  quarters 
in  fighting,  they  resemble  the  Igorrotes  of  Luzon.  They 
stand  up  squarely  to  the  Moros,  which  few  other  races  have 
the  pluck  to  do.  Like  the  Igorrotes,  their  religion  consists 
in  ancestor-worship,  but  they  call  their  idols  Dinatas  instead 
of  Anitos.  They  are  much  impressed  by  thunder,  which 
they  call  the  voice  of  the  lightning,  and  a  rainbow  fills 
them  with  awe.  Like  the  Tagals,  and  some  races  in  British 
India,  they  consider   the   crocodile   a   sacred   animal,  and 


MANOBOS :    THEIR   CRUELTIES  335 

respectfully  address  it  as  grandfather.  They  also,  like  the 
old  heathen  Tagals,  consider  rocks,  caves,  or  balete  trees, 
as  residences  of  spirits.  They  celebrate  a  feast  in  honour 
of  the  Dinatas  after  the  hai-vest,  and  make  sacrifices  of 
swine. 

Tag-Busan  is  their  god  of  war,  and  it  is  usual  amongst 
them  to  go  on  the  war-path  after  the  harvest  is  secured  ;  the 
bagani,  as  high  priest  of  this  god,  carries  his  talisman  hung 
round  his  neck. 

They  make  ambuscades,  and  attack  neighbours  or 
enemies  in  the  most  treacherous  manner,  either  by  setting 
fire  to  their  houses  and  murdering  them  as  they  attempt 
to  escape  from  the  flames,  or  they  cut  through  the  piles 
supporting  the  houses,  covering  themselves  with  their 
shields  interlocked  whilst  doing  so,  and  spearing  the  occu- 
pants when  the  house  falls.  When  an  enemy  has  been 
felled,  the  bagani,  taking  a  consecrated  sword,  never  used 
in  fighting,  cuts  open  the  chest,  and  immerses  the  talisman 
of  the  god  in  the  blood  ;  then,  tearing  out  the  heart  or 
liver,  he  eats  a  piece.  The  Sacopes  are  not  allowed  this 
privilege,  which  belongs  only  to  the  chief,  as  the  high  priest 
of  the  god  of  war.  The  children  of  the  slain  are  taken  as 
slaves,  and  the  young  women  for  concubines.  One  of  the 
prisoners  is  kept  to  be  sacrificed  in  some  cruel  manner  to 
Tag-Busan  on  the  return  of  the  expedition  as  a  thank- 
oft"ering. 

The  death  of  a  relative  requires  to  be  atoned  for  by  the 
murder  of  any  innocent  person  passing  by,  the  avenger 
concealing  himself  near  a  path,  and  kiUing  the  first  stranger 
who  comes. 

The  Manobos  are  very  smart  in  handling  canoes  or 
rafts  on  their  rivers,  which  are  very  dangerous  to  navigate, 
and  have  many  rapids  and  whirlpools  ;  the  Pulangui  even 
precipitates  itself  into  a  chasm,  and  runs  underground  for  a 
league  and  a  half.  However,  the  terrible  picture  I  have 
drawn  of  their  habits  is  becoming  year  by  year  a  thing  of 
the  past  to  thousands  of  Manobos,  although  still  kept  up  in 
places.  The  intrepidity  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  is  proof 
against  every  danger  and  every  privation,  has  carried  them 
up  the  River  Agusan,  on  which,  at  short  distances  apart, 
they  have  established  towns  or  villages,  and  have  brought 
many  thousands  of  Manobos  within  the  Christian  com- 
munion. 

I'ather  Urios,  one  of  these  missionaries,  baptized  5200 


336      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

heathen  in  one  year,  and  now  no  less  than  twenty  Christian 
towns  or  villages  stand  on  the  banks  of  the  River  Agusan 
and  its  tributaries,  populated  by  perhaps  fifteen  thousand 
Manobos,  formerly  heathens,  who  have  given  up  their 
detestable  practices  and  their  murderous  slave-raids  to 
occupy  themselves  in  cultivating  the  soil,  whilst  their 
children  of  both  sexes  are  receiving  instruction  from  Visaya 
school-masters  and  mistresses  There  is  always  a  tendency 
to  reniontar  amongst  them,  and  sometimes  nearly  all  the 
inhabitants  of  a  village  take  to  the  woods  and  hills.  Yet, 
secure  from  attack,  the  number  of  converts  steadily  in- 
creases. The  Baganis  have  become  gohernadorcillos,  and 
their  chief  vassals  tenientes,jiieces  de  paz,  and  cuadrilleros. 
Some  of  the  old  Baganis  who  were  well  off  were  so  anxious 
not  to  be  behind  the  Visayas,  that  they  sent  to  Manila  for 
hats,  black  cloth  coats  and  trousers,  and  patent  leather 
shoes,  to  wear  on  the  great  feasts  of  the  Church,  and  on 
the  occasion  of  the  annual  village  festival. 

This  is  a  long  way  from  human  sacrifices  to  the  Tag- 
Busan,  and  ceremonial  cannibal  rites,  which  these  men 
formerly  practised.  I  look  on  this  warlike  and  vigorous 
race  as  capable  of  becoming  valuable  citizens,  but  they  will 
require  careful  handling  for  some  years  to  come.  They 
must  not  be  rushed,  for,  if  alarmed  by  innovations,  they 
may  take  to  the  woods  en  masse,  and  the  labour  of  years 
will  have  been  wasted. 

I  look  to  this  tribe,  when  trained  to  use  fire-arms,  and 
stiffened  with  a  few  Americans,  to  destroy  the  power  of 
the  pirate  races — the  murderous,  slave-hunting  Moros,  with 
whom  it  is  useless  to  make  treaties,  who  cannot  be  con- 
verted till  the  power  of  their  dattos  is  broken,  and  who 
must  be  sternly  put  down  by  force  unless  the  nascent 
civilisation  of  Mindanao  is  to  be  thrown  back  for  a 
century. 

In  the  beginning  of  June,  1892,  a  Bagani  of  the 
Manobos  performed  the  paghuaga,  or  human  sacrifice,  on  a 
hill  opposite  Veruela,  on  the  River  Agusan.  The  victim 
w^as  a  Christian  girl  whom  he  had  bought  for  the  purpose 
from  some  slave-raiders. 

Mandayas  (4). 

The  Mandayas  live  on  the  Eastern  Cordillera  of  Mindanao 
which  runs  parallel  to  the  coast,  and  their  territory  extends 
from  the  7th  to  the  9th  parallel.     They  occupy  the  country 


MANDAVAS:    THEIR  DWELLINGS  357 

down  to  the  River  Salug.  They  are  remarkable  for  their 
light  colour,  some  having  quite  fair  complexions.  Their 
faces  are  wide,  the  cheek-bones  being  very  prominent  ;  yet 
their  appearance  is  not  unpleasing,  for  they  have  large  dark 
eyes  shaded  by  long  eye-lashes. 

They  are  much  respected  by  other  tribes  as  an  ancient 
and  aristocratic  race,  and  the  war-like  Manobos  eagerly  seek, 
by  fair  means  or  foul,  to  obtain  Mandaya  women  for  wives. 

They  usually  shave  off  their  beards,  and  also  their  eye- 
brows, wearing  their  hair  long,  tied  in  a  knot  at  the  back. 

They  are  powerfully  built,  and  of  good  stature.  The 
men  wear  short  drawers,  and  on  grand  occasions  don  an 
embroidered  jacket.  Both  men  and  women  wear  large  ear- 
ornaments.  The  women  are  clad  in  a  bodice  and  patadion 
with  ornaments  of  shells,  beads,  or  small  bells.  The  men 
are  of  a  bold  and  warlike  disposition,  ready  to  fight  against 
other  villages  of  their  tribe  when  not  at  war  with  the 
Manobos,  the  Guiangas,  or  the  Manguangas,  their  neigh- 
bours. They  have  a  language  of  their  own  which  has  a 
great  affinity  to  the  Visaya. 

Their  houses,  four  or  five  forming  a  village,  are  built 
on  lofty  piles  thirty  or  forty,  or  even  fifty  feet  above  the 
ground.  The  floor  is  of  thick  planks  and  has  a  parapet  all 
round  pierced  with  loop-holes  for  defence.  Above  this 
parapet  the  house  is  open  all  round  up  to  the  eaves,  but 
this  space  can  be  closed  in  by  hanging  shutters  in  bad 
weather.  The  construction  of  dwellings  at  such  a  height 
must  involve  an  enormous  amount  of  labour.  Each  group 
of  houses  forming  a  village  is  usually  surrounded  by  a 
strong  palisade  of  sharp-pointed  posts,  and  further  defended 
by  pits  lined  with  sharp  stakes,  which  are  lightly  covered 
over  with  twigs  and  leaves. 

Several  families  live  in  one  house,  after  the  custom  of 
the  Dayaks  of  Borneo,  to  provide  a  garrison  for  defence. 
An  ample  supply  of  arms  is  kept  in  the  house,  bows  and 
arrows,  spears,  swords  and  knives.  They  are  liable  to  be 
attacked  in  the  night,  cither  by  the  Manobos,  the  Moros,  or 
by  the  sdcopes  of  some  neighbouring  datto,  who  shoot 
flaming  arrows  covered  with  resin  into  the  roof  to  set  it  on 
fire,  or  covering  themselves  with  their  shields  from  the 
arrows  of  the  defenders,  make  a  determined  attempt  to  cut 
down  the  piles  so  that  the  house  will  fall.  The  attacking 
party  is  most  often  victorious,  and  the  defenders,  driven  out 
by  fire,  or  bruised  and  entangled  amongst  the  fallen  timbers, 

z 


333      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


are  easily  killed,  the  women  and  children,  with  the  other 
booty,  being  carried  off  by  the  assailants.  Under  this  reign 
of  terror  the  population  is  diminishing.  These  people  not 
only  kill  for  booty,  but  also  for  the  honour  and  glory  of  it. 
Each  warrior  is  anxious  to  become  a  bagani,  and  to  be 
allowed  to  wear  the  honourable  insignia  of  that  rank.  The 
dress  of  a  bagani  indicates  approximately  the  number  of 
murders  he  has  committed.  A  scarlet  head-cloth  shows 
that  he  has  killed  from  five  to  ten  men  ;  a  red  shirt,  in 
addition,  from  ten  to  twenty,  whilst  a  complete  suit  of  red 
shows  that  he  has  murdered  more  than  twenty  persons,  and 
is  a  much-desired  and  very  honourable  distinction,  a  sort  of 
D.S.O.  or  K.C.B.  amongst  them. 

All  the  dattos  are  baganis ;  they  could  hardly  possess 
enough  prestige  to  govern  their  sacopes  without  this  title. 

The  Mandayas  are  superstitious,  and  much  attached  to 
their  own  beliefs,  and  on  this  account  it  is  difficult  to 
convert  them  to  Christianity.  The  devotion  of  the  Jesuits, 
however,  has  not  been  in  vain,  and  several  pueblos  on  the 
east  coast  round  about  Bislig,  Caraga,  and  Cateel-Baganga 
are  now  inhabited  by  Christian  Mandayas,  some  of  whom 
have  intermarried  with  the  Visayas,  or  "  old  Christians." 
These  Mandayas  are  now  safe  from  attack.  They  give 
their  attention  to  cultivation,  and  are  increasing  in  numbers 
and  rising  in  the  scale  of  civilisation. 

Ancestral-worship  is  their  religion,  and  their  Dinatas,  or 
wooden  idols,  are  stained  red  with  the  sap  of  the  narra  tree. 
They  have  priestesses  whom  they  call  Bailanes,  and  they 
are  said  to  occasionally  make  human  sacrifices. 

As  amongst  other  tribes  in  Mindanao,  the  Limbuain,  or 
turtle-dove,  is  a  sacred  bird,  and  rice  and  fruit  is  placed  for 
its  use  on  a  small  raised  platform,  and  it  is  never  molested. 

They  are  organised  in  a  strict  feudal  system,  the  head- 
man or  datto  of  each  village  is  in  fact  the  only  free  man 
of  his  clan.  The  others  are  Sacopes — that  is,  followers 
or  vassals  who,  as  well  as  the  datto,  possess  slaves.  A 
Mandaya  datto  can  seldom  raise  more  than  fifty  spears  ; 
sometimes  two  or  three  federate,  but  expeditions  on  a  large 
scale  cannot  be  undertaken,  for  it  would  be  impossible  to 
feed  several  hundred  men  in  their  country,  such  is  the 
poverty  of  the  inhabitants. 

Sometimes  a  small  group  of  Mandaya  dattos  recognises 
as  suzerain  some  neighbouring  datto  of  the  piratical  Moros, 
who  always  tries  to  keep  them  isolated  and  to  prevent  any 


MANGUANGAS :    THEIR    TERRITORY  339 

intercourse  or  trade  with  the  Christians,  unless  through 
themselves. 

The  Mandayas  have  canoes  and  bamboo  rafts  on  the 
streams  and  rivers  running  through  their  territory.  They 
catch  a  good  many  fish. 

Their  agriculture  is  on  a  very  reduced  scale,  and  is 
limited  to  small  plantations  of  rice  and  sweet  potatoes  near 
their  villages  ;  they  keep  poultry.  They  do  not  dare  to 
travel  far  from  their  houses  for  fear  they  might  be  seized 
for  slaves,  or  even  sold  to  be  sacrificed  on  the  death  of  a 
datto.  Sometimes  when  a  man  has  been  condemned  to 
death  for  some  crime  his  datto  sells  him  to  some  person 
requiring  a  victim  for  the  death-vengeance,  if  he  is  assured 
that  it  is  intended  to  kill  him.  The  datto  thus  combines 
the  execution  of  justice  with  a  due  regard  to  his  own  profit. 

Mangiidngas  (5). 

According  to  Blumentritt,  this  tribe  lives  in  the  Cordillera 
Sagat,  and  extends  as  far  as  the  Great  Lake  Boayan  or 
Magindanao,  and  an  old  estimate  gives  their  number  as 
5o,ooo.  On  his  map  he  shows,  the  Lake  and  River  Boayan 
in  dotted  lines,  the  latter  is  made  to  fall  into  the  Rio 
Grande. 

On  two  modern  maps  of  Mindanao  which  I  have,  one 
by  Jesuits  and  the  other  from  Don  Jose  Nieto  Aguilar's 
book  on  this  Island,  neither  the  river  nor  the  lake  appear ; 
but,  in  their  stead,  a  lofty  range  of  mountains  is  shown.  In 
each  of  these  maps  the  Manguanga  territory  occupies  an 
entirely  different  location. 

As  the  Jesuits  have  three  reduccions  or  villages  amongst 
this  tribe,  I  accept  their  map  as  constructed  according  to 
the  latest  information.  They  show  in  their  earlier  maps 
the  Manguanga  territory  at  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  Davao, 
its  southern  frontier  being  some  twelve  miles  from  the 
sea,  and  about  the  head-waters  of  the  River  Salug  and  the 
River  Agusan. 

The  reducciones  are  called  Gandia,  Pilar,  and  Compostela. 
In  the  general  Report  of  the  Jesuit  Missions  of  1896, 
the  mission  station  of  Jativa  is  stated  to  consist  of  six 
reducciones  of  Manobos,  Mandayas  and  Manguangas,  with  a 
total  population  of  1389. 

In  the  general  report  of  the  following  year  the  Man- 
guangas and  other  tribes  are   not   specifically  mentioned, 

Z  2 


340      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

and  the  total  population  of  the  mission  station  of  Jativa  is 
given  as  1458. 

In  a  later  ethnographical  map  of  Mindanao  the  Man- 
guanga  territory  appears  still  more  circumscribed,  being 
limited  to  a  strip  of  land  between  the  Rivers  Julep  and 
Nabo,  affluents  of  the  River  Agusan  ;  Nieto's  map,  however, 
shows  them  extending  over  the  Eastern  Cordillera  towards 
Linguit,  which  is  situated  on  the  coast  in  about  7''  50'  N. 
latitude. 

Dr.  Montano,  who  went  up  the  Rio  Salug  in  1880, 
passing  through  the  Manguanga  territory,  says  he  found 
the  banks  deserted. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  once  numerous  tribe 
has  been  reduced  to  a  mere  remnant,  part  settled  in  the 
before-mentioned  rediicciones,  and  part  still  wandering  in 
mountains. 

Monteses  or  Biiqtiidn67ies  (6). 

The  Spanish  word  Montes,  means  hill-man.  Buquid,  in 
Tagal,  means  arable  land  ;  and  Taga-buquid,  a  countryman. 
The  Tagal  equivalent  of  hill-man  is  Taga-bundoc,  which 
corresponds  to  the  jungle-wallah  of  British  India.  The 
word  Buquidn6nes  may  mean  cultivators,  and  their  extensive 
plantations  fully  justify  this  designation.  It  is  therefore 
rather  a  vague  expression,  but  still  designates  a  particular 
tribe  in  Mindanao,  whose  numbers  were  estimated  to 
amount  to  13,000  ten  years  ago,  and  who  have  probably 
largely  increased  since  then. 

They  occupy  the  valleys  through  which  the  Rivers  of 
Cagayan  and  Tagoloan  run,  and  the  hills  between  them  and 
on  both  sides. 

They  hold  the  country  of  the  head-waters  of  the 
Pulangui,  and  the  right  bank,  as  far  south  as  the  Manobos 
extend  on  the  left  bank,  say  to  7°  30'  N.  latitude.  In  the 
north  they  extend  right  up  into  the  peninsula  between  the 
Bay  of  Macajalar  and  the  Bay  of  Lunao,  occupying  the  lofty 
mountains  of  Sabrac,  Sinalagao,  Ouimanquil,  and  the  sacred 
Balatucan,  whence  the  souls  of  the  dead  jump  from  earth 
to  heaven. 

Father  Clotet,  from  whose  letters  to  his  superiors  I  have 
taken  these  particulars,  considers  them  to  be  divided  into- 
three  large  groups. 

The  first  consists  of  those  living  in  the  hills  and  valleys 
of  the  rivers  Tagoloan,  Cagayan,  and  Iponam  ;  the  second^ 


MONTESES:    THEIR  INTELLIGENCE  341 

of  those  bordering  on  the  Manobos  of  the  Agusan  between 
Gingoog  and  Nasipit,  and  the  third  of  those  who  Hve  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Pulangui  and  on  some  of  its  affluents. 

They  bear  some  resemblance  to  their  neighbours  the 
Manobos,  being  of  good  stature,  well-built,  even  handsome, 
and  are  of  an  affable  and  friendly  disposition  ;  some  of 
them  are  so  smart  and  well-bred  as  to  be  not  in  the  least 
inferior  to  the  most  civilised  of  the  Visayas,  and  to  judge 
by  their  free  and  open  address,  and  the  absence  of  all  affec- 
tation when  settling  their  business  with  the  old  Christians, 
nobody  would  take  them  for  heathens. 

Father  Urios  said  that,  from  the  extent  of  their  intelli- 
gence, they  were  fit  to  be  kings  of  the  Manobos,  so  much 
superior  were  they  to  these. 

In  their  dress  they  show  a  far  greater  idea  of  decorum 
and  modesty  than  any  other  race  in  Mindanao,  both  men 
and  women.  The  latter  wear  a  white  shirt,  which  is  held 
in  at  the  waist  by  a  long  skirt,  reaching  to  the  ankles. 
Over  this  they  wear  a  very  short  and  tight  jacket,  to  the 
edges  of  which  they  sew  strips  of  cloth  of  many  colours  in  a 
pleasing  tracery,  the  short  wide  sleeves  being  trimmed  in 
the  same  way. 

They  show  great  taste  in  choosing  the  colours  and 
designs  with  which  they  ornament  their  dresses.  On  the 
left  side  at  the  waist  they  hang  some  bead  ornaments,  small 
bells,  and  bunches  of  scented  herbs.  On  their  legs  they 
wear  many  loose  rings  of  brass,  copper,  or  silver,  which 
rattle  when  they  walk.  Their  manner  of  dressing  their  hair 
is  singular,  and  characteristic.  They  take  the  bulk  of  the 
hair,  and  without  plaiting  it  they  twist  and  knot  it  in  a  high 
and  large  coil.  AH  round  the  head  fall  curls  cut  to  one 
length,  but  on  the  forehead  there  is  a  fringe  coming  down 
almost  to  the  eye-brows.  They  secure  the  coil  with  a 
handsome  and  showy  comb,  well  made  of  metal,  or  precious 
metals,  according  to  the  means  of  the  wearer,  Many  of 
them  are  loaded  with  bracelets  from  the  wrists  to  near  the 
elbows,  either  of  metal,  of  tortoise-shell,  or  mother-of-pearl. 
In  their  ears  they  wear  large  ornaments  called  balaring, 
made  of  a  plug  of  soft  wood,  having  on  each  end  a  circular 
plate  of  brass,  copper,  silver,  or  of  engraved  gold,  one  larger 
than  the  other.  The  hole  of  the  car  is  greatly  stretched  to 
allow  the  smaller  plate  to  pass  through  ;  the  plug  then 
remains  in  the  hole,  and  is  covered  at  each  end  by  the 
plates.     They   wear   also   necklaces,    sometimes    of  great 


342      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

value,  These  manufactures  seem  to  be  very  similar  to 
those  of  the  Igorrotes,  which  have  been  detailed  at  length 
in  the  description  of  that  interesting  people. 

Father  Clotet  mentioned  a  curious  necklace  worn  by- 
one  of  these  women,  formed  of  ancient  silver  coins, 
diminishing  in  size  from  the  centre  to  the  extremities.  In 
the  middle  was  a  silver  dollar  of  Charles  III.  He  con- 
sidered this  to  be  worth  thirty  dollars,  which  was  quite  a 
capital  to  a  Montes  in  a  small  hamlet. 

Even  when  pressed  by  necessity  they  will  not  sell  these 
ornaments,  and  they  consequently  pass  from  father  to  son 
for  many  generations,  They  wear  rings  of  brass,  silver  or 
gold,  not  only  on  their  fingers,  but  also  on  their  toes. 

The  dress  of  the  men  on  ordinary  occasions  is  quite 
simple,  but  on  grand  occasions  they  wear  long  trousers  of 
European  cloth,  jackets  of  the  same  stuff,  and  fine  beaver 
hats.  Their  shirts  of  fine  linen  are  not  worn  outside  the 
trousers  as  amongst  the  Tagals,  only  the  front  being  shown, 
which  is  often  beautifully  embroidered.  Those  amongst 
them  who,  although  heathens,  have  a  frequent  intercourse 
with  the  Christians,  have  their  hair  cut  short  and  take  great 
care  of  it ;  but  those  living  amongst  the  hills  let  it  grow 
long,  and,  rolling  it  into  a  knot,  tie  it  up  in  a  kerchief  like 
the  charros  of  Aragon.  Some  of  them  paint  their  teeth 
black,  and  file  them  into  points.  The  wealthy  men  and 
women  cover  their  teeth  with  thin  gold  plates,  like  the 
chiefs  amongst  the  Igorrotes,  but  unlike  them  they  take 
them  off  to  eat.  It  would  seem  to  be  indecent  to  show 
one's  teeth  to  any  person  of  superior  rank. 

They  believe  in  a  future  life,  and  are  polytheists.  They 
worship  the  gods  of  the  cardinal  points :  the  god  of  the 
north  is  called  Domalongdong  ;  he  of  the  south,  Ongli  ;  of 
the  east,  Tagolambong  ;  of  the  west,  Magbabaya. 

This  last  god,  Magbabaya,  which  means  Almighty,  has, 
however,  two  other  gods  of  equal  rank :  Ibabasag  and 
Ipamahandi.  The  first  is  invoked  for  the  safe  delivery  of 
pregnant  women  ;  the  second  takes  care  of  the  horses  and 
cattle,  and  as  there  is  hardly  a  Buquidnon  who  does  not 
possess  some  of  these  animals  to  assist  him  in  his  labour, 
Ipamahandi  is  constantly  called  upon  to  help  them  when 
any  accident  happens. 

Tagum-Banvia,  the  god  of  the  fields,  is  prayed  to  for  a 
good  harvest,  and  a  feast  called  the  Caliga,  corresponding 
to  our  harvest  festival,  is  held  in  his  honour.     The  Tao-sa- 


MO  NT  As  ES:    THEIR   GODS  343 

sulup,  or  men  of  the  woods,  correspond  to  the  Tic-Balan  of 
the  old  heathen  Tagals,  and  inhabit  the  trunks  of  secular 
trees,  especially  the  Balete.  or  rocky  crags  or  caves,  inter- 
vening in  the  affairs  of  mortals  to  favour  them  or  upset 
them.  Consequently  they  make  sacrifices  to  these  spirits 
to  propitiate  them  and  gain  their  favour. 

Tigbas  is  a  much  respected  god,  looked  upon  with 
special  reverence  as  having  come  down  from  heaven.  He 
is  represented  by  stone  idols  on  stone  pedestals,  only 
possessed  by  the  principal  dattos,  who  keep  them  amongst 
the  heir-looms  of  their  ancestors,  and  only  allow  their  near 
relations  or  intimate  friends  to  see  them. 

Talian  is  a  small  idol  in  the  figure  of  a  monkey 
squatting,  usually  made  from  the  root  of  the  willow.  This 
they  carry  about  with  them,  hanging  from  a  cord  round  its 
neck.  When  on  a  journey,  if  they  fear  an  ambush,  they 
hold  out  the  cord  with  the  little  idol  on  it  like  a  plumb- 
line,  and  let  it  spin.  When  it  comes  to  rest,  its  face  is 
turned  in  the  direction  where  the  enemy  is  concealed. 
They  then  carefully  avoid  that  direction,  if  they  have  been 
following  it,  by  turning  off  and  taking  another  path.  If 
one  of  them  is  ill,  they  submerge  the  idol  in  a  cup  of 
water  which  he  immediately  drinks.  Otherwise,  by  simply 
touching  the  suffering  part,  they  find  relief,  and  even  a 
radical  cure. 

The  Busao,  an  evil  spirit,  must  be  kept  in  good  humour, 
and  to  this  end  they  offer  to  it  meat  and  drink,  and  sing 
and  dance  in  its  honour,  praying  to  it  to  deliver  them  from 
any  calamity  they  fear. 

The  elders  are  charged  with  the  duty  of  offering  fruits 
and  of  sacrificing  the  pigs  and  fowls  to  the  deities.  It  will 
be  seen  what  a  strong  religious  bias  prevails  amongst  these 
people,  who  are  convinced  that  all  the  affairs  of  life  are  in 
the  hands  of  Divine  Providence,  and  of  the  necessity  of 
prayer  and  sacrifice. 

Marriages  amongst  them  are  arranged  by  the  parents 
or  by  the  head  chief  of  their  tribe,  the  Masalicampo 
(Maestro  de  Campo).  A  house  is  prepared  for  the  young 
couple,  and  an  abundant  feast  is  made  ready,  including  an 
ample  supply  of  a  fermented  drink  called  pangasi,  which  is 
preserved  in  large  jars.  When  the  guests  have  assembled, 
and  everything  is  ready,  the  bride  and  bridegroom  exchange 
a  few  words,  and  each  receives  from  their  respective  fathers 
a  small  morsel  of  cooked  rice.     This  they  hold  out  for  a 


344      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

short  time  on  the  palms  of  their  hands,  and  then  each 
places  the  morsel  in  the  mouth  of  the  other,  and  this  action 
solemnises  the  marriage.  The  Tagbanuas  have  the  same 
custom. 

Immediately  an  animated  conversation  bursts  out 
amongst  the  guests,  and  a  profuse  and  carefully-cooked 
feast  is  served. 

To  the  feast  succeeds  a  prolonged  drinking  bout,  the 
guests  sucking  up  the  liquor  through  straws  or  canes  from 
the  jars  which  contain  it.  Amongst  the  Monteses  it  is  not 
considered  good  form  to  return  home  from  a  wedding 
ostentatiously  sober. 

Polygamy  is  allowed,  but  little  practised,  only  the 
dattos  having  two  or  perhaps  three  wives. 

Father  Barrado,  who  was  a  missionary  amongst  them, 
remarked  on  the  repugnance  these  people  have  to  pass 
through  the  territory  of  some  other  datto,  and  Dr.  Montano, 
who  crossed  Mindanao  from  Davao  to  Butuan,  confirms  this 
very  fully  as  regards  Mandayas  and  Manobos.  In  order 
that  they  may  do  this  in  safety,  the  principal  dattos  have 
a  large  and  highly-ornamented  lance  called  a  qiiiap.  In 
return  for  a  small  fee  they  lend  this  to  any  of  their  Sacopes 
who  desire  to  pass  through  another  datto's  territory  as  a 
passport,  or  safe  conduct.  When  carrying  this  lance,  far 
from  being  molested,  travellers  are  treated  with  considera- 
tion and  deference,  even  in  time  of  war. 

The  principal  dattos  show  their  grandeur  by  having 
enormous  jars,  in  which  they  preserve  their  heir-looms  or 
rare  and  curious  objects,  or  use  for  holding  provisions. 
Gongs  also  are  much  esteemed  amongst  them.  But  their 
most  precious  possessions  are  certain  wooden-boxes  or 
trunks  with  copper  coins  nailed  all  over  them  in  patterns, 
in  which  they  keep  their  clothes  and  arms.  In  this  they 
resemble  the  rajahs  and  sultans  of  the  Malays.  They  use 
swords  and  lances,  bolos,  and  sometimes  the  Malay  kris  with 
inscriptions  and  marks  in  Arabic,  these  last  are  got  from 
the  Moros.  Some  of  their  arms  are  beautifully  made  with 
carved  handles  of  hard  wood,  and  inlaid  with  silver,  having 
sheaths  of  polished  wood.  Some  of  them  have  coats  of 
mail,  made  of  brass  plates  and  wires,  ornamented  with 
silver.  These  appear  to  be  of  great  antiquity,  and  it  is 
not  known  where  they  came  from  originally.  Others  have 
quilted  jackets  such  as  Cortes  found  amongst  the  Mexicans, 
Notwithstanding    their  amiable  characteristics,  they  make 


MONTESES:    THEIR  FOOD  345 

forays  like  the  Manobos,  and  attack  other  tribes,  killing 
the  adults,  and  carrying  off  the  children  as  slaves  and  the 
girls  as  concubines. 

They  use  the  pneumatic  tinder-box  like  the  Igorrotes. 
They  are  fond  of  smoking,  and  raise  large  crops  of 
excellent  tobacco,  selling  their  surplus  in  Cagayan  de 
Misamis.  They  prefer  to  smoke  their  tobacco  in  pipes, 
which  they  make  themselves.  They  also  chew  buyo.  On 
their  voyages  they  carry  pouches  to  contain  their  be- 
longings, and  a  curious  crescent-shaped  box  made  of  brass 
plate,  which  they  tie  on  in  front. 

Although  able  to  make  long  journeys  on  foot,  they 
usually  ride,  and  are  excellent  horsemen,  riding  up  and 
down  the  steepest  paths.  Their  horses  are  adorned  with 
one  or  two  necklaces  of  sleigh-bells,  so  that  they  can  be 
heard  approaching  from  a  distance. 

They  have  no  calendar,  but  know  from  the  appearance 
of  certain  constellations  in  the  heavens,  to  which  they  give 
names  of  their  own,  that  the  rainy  season  is  approaching, 
and  they  then  set  to  work  busily  to  prepare  their  land  for 
sowing  or  planting. 

They  use  the  plough,  and  make  extensive  plantations  of 
maize,  which  is  their  principal  article  of  food,  and  also  of 
rice,  they  sell  the  surplus  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  coast 
towns,  for  articles  they  require,  especially  salt.  They  make 
small  stone  hand-mills  for  grinding  maize,  and  what  is 
much  more  curious,  they  have  invented  and  manufactured 
cotton  gins,  having  two  wooden  rollers  geared  together, 
worked  by  a  crank  on  the  upper  one.  These  gins  work 
with  great  regularity. 

In  1889  they  were  much  interested  in  planting  and 
preparing  Abaca,  and  Gingoog,  one  of  their  outlets, 
exported  no  less  than  11,000  piculs,  or  the  equivalent  of 
5500  bales  in  twelve  months.  They  also  take  down  to  the 
coast-towns  quantities  of  wax  and  resin.  Their  labour 
ought  to  make  them  wealthy,  but  here  again  we  find  the 
rascally  Chinaman,  who,  intoxicating  them  with  some  vile 
spirits,  deceives  them  in  the  price,  cheats  them  in  the 
weight,  and  sends  them  back  sick  and  ill  from  their  unac- 
customed libations,  with  some  wretched  rubbish  in  exchange 
for  their  valuable  produce.  By  this  means  their  industry  is 
checked,  and  those  who  take  down  goods  return  in  worse 
plight  than  they  went.  Any  decent  Government  would 
prohibit  the  demoralisation  of  this  interesting  people,  but 


346      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  Chinaman  well  understands  how  to  deal  with  the  local 
Spanish  authorities,  and  even  subscribes  largely  to  the 
church,  for  he  likes  to  have  two  strings  to  his  bow. 

The  musical  instruments  of  the  Montcses  are  clarinets, 
flutes,  guitars  of  three  strings,  and  a  small  drum. 

At  the  time  of  the  harvest,  from  the  first  peep  of  day  to 
sunrise,  before  beginning  to  work,  they  sing  or  chant  certain 
songs,  the  men  and  women  taking  alternate  verses. 

They  have  courts  of  justice  to  punish  robbery  and  other 
offences.  Their  laws  are  traditional,  passing  from  father 
to  son,  and  occasionally  altered  at  the  discretion  of  the 
principal  datto,  to  whom  they  appeal  if  they  have  been 
gravely  offended.  The  principal  datto  having  taken  his 
seat,  his  head  is  bound  round  with  the  pinditon,  or  head- 
cloth,  with  three  points,  and  he  takes  the  quiap  (already 
mentioned)  in  his  hand.  He  then  invites  two  inferior 
dattos,  who  takes  seats  one  on  each  side  of  him.  The 
prisoner  is  then  led  forward  by  a  guard,  who  stick  their 
lances  in  the  earth  near  the  seats  of  the  tribunal.  The 
case  is  argued  on  both  sides,  the  court  deliberates  and 
gives  judgment  and  sentence,  which  is  executed  upon  the 
spot,  fine,  corporal-punishment,  or  death.  This  is  quite  an 
ideal  criminal  court,  and  worthy  of  all  respect. 

Amongst  them  it  is  considered  as  a  want  of  education 
and  good  manners  to  mention  their  own  names,  and  if  a 
stranger  asks,  "  What  is  your  name  ?  "  the  person  inter- 
rogated does  not  answer,  but  some  one  else  replies,  "  His 
name  is  so-and-so."  This  actually  happened  to  me  amongst 
the  Tagbanuas  of  Paragua,  when  I  visited  them.  {See 
Tagbanuas.) 

They  believe  in  omens,  and  have  many  curious  customs, 
too  long  to  relate,  but  I  shall  mention  one. 

If  a  stranger  enters  a  house  to  visit  those  who  inhabit  it, 
and  during  the  conversation  a  fowl  should  fly  and  pass  before 
him,  the  people  of  the  house  instantly  kill  it,  and  cooking  it 
as  quickly  as  possible,  they  eat  it  in  company  with  the 
visitor  to  allay  his  fright,  and  cause  his  soul  to  return  to 
his  body,  for  it  might  have  left  him  when  he  was  startled. 

The  houses  in  their  villages  are  large  and  well-built, 
sometimes  the  walls  are  of  thick  planks  of  hard  wood  tied 
together  with  rattan,  for  they  use  no  nails.  The  houses  in 
the  country  are  smaller,  and  low  in  the  roof,  but  always  so 
high  from  the  ground  that  the  longest  lance  will  not  reach 
the  floor. 


MONTESES :  MODE   OF  BURIAL  347 

Great  respect  is  shown  to  the  dead.  They  are  usually 
buried  in  their  fields  with  lance,  sword,  and  bolo  laid  beside 
them.  They  make  a  mound  of  earth  over  the  grave,  fixing 
several  stakes  like  St.  Andrew's  crosses,  and  protecting  the 
whole  with  the  bark  of  a  tree  fastened  over  the  stakes. 
From  a  high  post  hangs  a  bag  of  rice,  that  the  soul  of  the 
defunct  may  sustain  itself  on  the  long  journey  to  Mount 
Bolotucan,  the  highest  peak  of  the  whole  region.  The  soul 
having  arrived  on  this  peak,  gives  one  great  jump,  and 
reaches  heaven,  at  a  higher  or  lower  level,  according  to  the 
greater  or  lesser  probity  of  its  life  on  earth.  Wherever 
it  lands,  there  it  remains  to  all  eternity.  The  relations 
make  great  lamentations  at  the  death,  and  loose  their  hair 
which  they  do  not  roll  up  for  a  greater  or  lesser  period, 
according  to  the  love  they  bore  the  dead. 

It  is  pleasing  to  be  able  again  to  state  that  the  bravery, 
the  wisdom,  and  the  faith  and  charity  of  the  Jesuits 
exercised  amongst  this  race  has  had  a  rich  reward.  During 
the  four  years  which  concluded  in  1889,  no  less  than 
6600  heathen  Monteses  renounced  their  superstitions,  their 
polygamy,  and  their  slave-hunting  murdering  raids,  and, 
accepting  the  doctrines  of  our  Saviour,  were  baptized  into 
the  Christian  faith.  Besides  the  older  coast  towns,  mostly 
occupied  by  Visayas,  twenty-four  Christian  villages  extend 
from  the  Bay  of  Macajalar  far  into  the  Montese  country, 
now  giving  the  hand  to  the  military  garrisons  on  the  Rio 
Grande  amongst  those  irreclaimable  pirates  the  Moros. 

The  Cross  was  triumphing  over  the  Crescent  in  Min- 
danao quite  as  much,  nay,  much  more,  by  the  voices  of  the 
missionaries  as  by  the  Spanrsh  bayonets.  It  will  be  an 
outrage  on  Christianity,  a  blot  on  their  renown,  if  through 
ignorance  or  folly,  the  United  States  should  so  act  as  to 
put  a  stop  to  this  holy  and  civilising  work,  and  so  give 
occasion  for  some  future  author  to  write  another  "  Century 
of  Dishonour." 

Atds  or  Ata-as  (7). 

These  people  occupy  a  considerable  territory  from  the 
River  Libaganon,  which  falls  into  the  Gulf  of  Davao  round 
the  northern  slopes  of  Mount  Apo,  about  the  head-waters 
of  the  rivers  running  into  Lakes  Liguan  and  Buluan.  To 
the  north  they  have  the  Tagavauas  and  the  Manobos  ;  to 
the   south   the   Vilanes,   and   on   the   east   the   Guiangas, 


348      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILLIPINES 


Bagobos  and  Calaganes.  The  swampy  country  on  the 
west  separates  them  from  the  Moros  of  Lake  Liguan. 
.From  the  extent  of  their  territory  the  Atas  are  probably 
very  numerous. 

They  appear  to  be  a  hybrid  Malayo-Negrito  race,  but 
have  advanced  considerably  in  social  organisation.  They 
go  decently  dressed,  the  men  wearing  short  drawers  and 
a  shirt  of  Chinese  pattern,  and  the  women  Tipatadion  and 
an  embroidered  bodice — with  strings  of  beads  round  the 
neck  for  ornament.  They  weave  stuffs  similar  to  those 
made  by  the  neighbouring  tribes.  They  are  said  to  be  of 
a  determined  character,  and  to  stand  up  to  the  Moros  in 
defence  of  their  families  and  property. 

They  also  attack  other  tribes  and  commit  atrocious 
murders,  not  sparing  women  and  children. 

A  missionary  passing  near  their  territory  on  the  River 
Libaganon  in  November  1892,  found  several  households  in 
great  grief  on  account  of  unprovoked  murders  committed 
by  the  Atas. 

As  the  Atas  live  remote  from  the  sea-coast  and  have 
no  navigable  rivers  running  through  their  territory,  the 
missionaries  have  not  yet  been  able  to  make  much  impres- 
sion on  them,  but  they  are  working  their  way  up  the 
Davao  River,  and  the  reduction  of  Belen  established  in 
1 89 1  is  quite  on  the  borders  of  the  Atas  territory.  Murders, 
slave-raids,  and  human  sacrifices,  are  still  the  ordinary 
events  of  Atas  life. 

The  illustration  shows  two  determined-looking  Atas 
warriors  with  spear  and  shield,  two  women  and  two  young 
girls,  all  carefully  dressed  and  wearing  their  ornaments. 

Gtiiangas  (8). 

The  Guiangas  live  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Apo,  to 
the  North  of  the  Bagobos,  whom  they  much  resemble  in 
manners  and  customs.  In  view  of  the  small  territory  they 
occupy,  they  cannot  be  numerous. 

They  have  a  rather  effeminate  air,  the  men  wearing 
their  hair  long ;  but  notwithstanding  this,  they  are  quite 
robust,  of  remarkable  agility,  and  very  adroit  in  the  use 
of  arms. 

Montano  gives  the  average  height  of  the  man  as 
5  feet  4-^  inches,  and  measured  some  up  to  5  feet  7^  inches. 
The   men   wear   short   drawers  and   huge  ear  ornaments. 


GUIANGAS:    THEIR  HUMAN  SACRIFICES        349 

Their  weapons  are  the  bow  and  spear.  They  are  organised 
on  the  same  feudal  system  as  the  other  tribes  being 
governed  by  their  dattos.  Their  houses,  as  usual,  are 
built  on  high  piles.  They  are  tolerably  industrious,  and 
occasionally  work  for  the  Visayas  on  their  plantations. 
They  possess  horses,  cattle,  and  poultry,  and  make  the 
usual  plantations  of  rice,  camote,  and  maize. 

As  regards  their  religion,  Tighiama  is  the  Creator,  and 
Manama  the  governor  of  the  world.  Todlay,  the  god  of 
love,  is  husband  of  the  Virgin  Todlibun,  and  the  women 
celebrate  certain  rites  in  his  honour. 

Dewata  is  the  protector  of  the  house,  and  he  is  said  to 
love  blood.  It  is  therefore  incumbent  on  the  head  of 
every  household  to  avenge  any  insult  in  the  blood  of  the 
offender. 

As  amongst  other  tribes,  the  death  of  a  datto,  or  of  one 
of  his  wives,  requires  a  human  sacrifice  in  number  pro- 
portionate to  the  rank  of  the  defunct.  The  victims  are 
usually  taken  from  amongst  the  slaves  of  the  datto,  but  in 
some  cases  they  are  purchased  by  public  subscription. 
Being  securely  fastened  to  trees  so  that  they  cannot  move, 
the  largest  subscriber  inflicts  a  stab — politely  avoiding 
giving  a  mortal  wound,  then  the  others  follow  in  accordance 
with  the  importance  of  their  subscription.  The  cries  of 
the  victim,  thus  gradually  done  to  death,  are  drowned  by 
the  vociferations  of  his  executioners.  These  sacrifices  are 
still  carried  on  in  the  remoter  districts,  but  the  missionaries 
are  beginning  to  convert  the  Guiangas  nearest  the  coast, 
and  have  established  several  rediicciones  in  Guianga  terri- 
tory, such  as  Garellano,  Oran,  Guernica,  Oyanguren.  In 
the  parish  of  Davao  and  its  missions,  there  were  at  the 
end  of  1896  nearly  12,000  Christians,  and  the  missionaries 
were  actively  at  work  and  were  meeting  with  success.  If 
they  are  re-established,  and  supported,  in  a  few  years' 
time  human  sacrifices  will  only  be  a  dread  tradition  of  the 
past. 

The  illustration  shows  a  group  of  Guiangas,  both  men 
and  women,  the  latter  wearing  many  ornaments. 

Bagobos  (9). 

This  small  tribe  occupies  the  southern  and  eastern 
slopes  of  the  Apo  volcano,  reaching  down  to  the  coast  of 
the  Bay  of  Davao,  between  the  River  Taumo  on  the  north. 


350     THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


and  the  River  Digos  on  the  south.  They  also  have  an 
outlying  settlement  at  Piapi — now  called  Vera — on  the 
Ensenada  de  Casilaran.  The  lower  part  of  their  territory 
is  swampy,  and  the  inhabitants  of  this  district  suffer  from 
fever  and  ague,  and  present  a  sickly  appearance.  They 
resemble  the  Manobos  in  disposition  and  in  customs,  and 
their  weapons  are  the  same.  Their  dress  consists  of  short 
drawers  and  a  jacket.  The  women  wear  a  shirt  and 
patadion.  They  are  moderate  in  eating,  and  cleanly  in 
their  persons.  Dr.  Montano  greatly  praises  the  beauty 
of  their  country,  especially  about  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Matina. 

The  peculiarity  of  the  Bagobos  is  that  they  are  horse- 
Indians,  everybody — men,  women  and  children — rides  in 
their  country. 

They  breed  these  horses,  which  are  small,  but  endowed 
with  remarkable  endurance,  and  their  saddles,  although 
rude,  are  scientifically  constructed,  like  miniature  McClel- 
lans.  They  ride  with  very  short  stirrups,  and  the  men  are 
always  seen  spear  in  hand  when  mounted.  They  carefully 
preserve  by  tradition  the  genealogy  of  their  horses,  and 
give  their  favourite  animals  a  ration  of  4^  lbs,  of  paddy  per 
day,  as  well  as  grass. 

The  basis  of  their  food  is  rice  and  sweet  potatoes,  which 
they  cultivate,  using  the  buffalo  and  plough,  and  getting 
the  manual  labour  done  by  their  slaves. 

They  plant  coffee,  cacao,  and  bananas,  but  having 
assured  their  subsistence,  they  love  to  wander  off  into  the 
woods  to  seek  for  jungle-produce,  such  as  wax,  honey, 
almaciga,  and  the  coarse  cinnamon  of  the  country,  all  of 
which  finds  a  ready  sale  on  the  coast. 

They  are  said  to  strictly  perform  all  their  engagements. 

They  cultivate  abaca,  and  from  the  filament  of  this 
plant  their  women  weave  the  tissues  called  dagmays,  which 
they  polish  by  rubbing  them  with  shells  till  they  take  a 
lustre  like  silk.  They  dye  these  stuffs  in  a  primitive 
manner,  but  with  satisfactory  results. 

The  men  are  tolerable  smiths,  and  forge  their  weapons 
from  old  iron,  which  they  obtain  in  barter.  They  make 
bits  (for  horses),  and  bracelets,  and  collars  '  brass. 
Amongst  them  gold  is  said  to  be  dearer  than  1  Paris, 
although  the  sands  about  Malalag,  just  south  >f  their 
territory,  yield  gold. 

The  Jesuits  have  made  many  converts  amongst  them, 


■3.' 


lo 
li  r 

o 


o  o 


O    2 


O    < 


BAGOBOS:    THEIR  BAPTISMS  351 

and  they  were,  till  the  Spanish-American  war,  under  the 
spiritual  care  of  the  veteran  missionary,  Father  Urios,  and 
his  assistants.  In  October,  1894,  400  Bagobos  were  bap- 
tized. I  am  unable  to  give  the  numbers  of  the  Bagobos, 
even  approximately,  but,  from  the  small  territory  they 
occupy,  they  cannot  be  numerous. 

The  illustration  shows  the  celebrated  Datto  Manib,  one 
of  the  principal  baganis  (head-murderers)  of  the  Bagobos, 
of  the  Apo,  accompanied  by  his  lance-bearers,  one  of  whom 
holds  the  quiap.  Behind  him  are  some  of  his  wives  and 
children,  and  other  followers.  But  not  even  the  hard  heart 
of  this  blood-stained  wretch  could  withstand  the  persuasion 
of  the  Jesuits,  and  in  1894  he  was  baptized,  and  com- 
menced to  build  the  town  of  Santillana  for  himself  and 
followers. 


352      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE  TRIBES  OF   MINDANAO — continued. 

Calaganes  (lo). 

A  SMALL  tribe  living  on  the  south-eastern  slopes  of  Mount 
Apo,  about  the  head-waters  of  the  River  Digos,  which  runs 
into  the  Gulf  of  Davao,  a  little  north  of  the  Ensenada  de 
Casilaran. 

They  are  reported  to  be  of  good  stature,  and  of  a  dark 
colour,  to  understand  the  language  of  the  Vilanes,  but  to 
speak  their  own  tongue,  which  is  similar  to  the  Manobo. 
They  are  industrious  cultivators  of  the  soil,  and  store 
provisions  for  their  use,  never  suffering  from  famine,  but 
rather  assisting  others  less  careful.  Their  country  is  very 
broken,  consisting  of  deep  valleys,  divided  from  each  other 
by  lofty  crests.  These  valleys  are  full  of  people,  so  that 
the  tribe  must  be  numerous. 

Father  Urios  visited  them  in  January  of  1894,  and  was 
well  treated.  The  redjicciones  of  Aviles  and  Melitta  have 
been  recently  formed  amongst  them,  and  their  conversion 
was  proceeding  till  the  war  began.  Their  territory  forms 
part  of  the  parish  and  missions  of  Davao. 

Tagacaolos  (11). 

The  Tagacaolos  live  in  the  district  of  Davao,  on  the 
west  coast  of  the  gulf  from  Malalao  as  far  south  as  Lais. 
There  are  also  some  living  on  the  peninsula  of  San 
Agustin,  between  Cuabo  and  Macambol.  Physically,  they 
are  inferior  to  the  neighbouring  tribes,  not  so  much  in 
stature  as  in  muscular  development.  They  are  timid,  and 
those  who  are  still  heathen  select  places  for  their  hamlets 
that  cannot  easily  be  surprised,  such  as  rocks,  or  crags 
without  forest  round  them,  although  this  obliges  them  to 
carry  water  from  a  great  distance. 


TAGACAOLOS :    THEIR  HEATHENISM  353 


A  considerable  number  of  them  have  been  converted, 
and  settled  in  hamlets  near  the  coast,  but  the  mass  of  them 
are  still  heathen. 

Their  faces  are  long,  the  nose  thin,  and  the  extremity 
of  it  slightly  curved. 

They  are  the  victims  of  the  Bagobos  and  Guiangas, 
who  attack  them  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  them  off  into 
slavery.  They  themselves  prey  on  the  Vilanes,  who  are 
less  capable  of  defence,  and  make  slaves  of  them.  They 
also  fight  amongst  themselves.  They  make  human  sacri- 
fices to  their  god  Mandarangan,  who  lives  in  the  crater  of 
the  Apo  volcano,  to  avert  his  wrath,  and  when  any  noise  is 
heard  from  the  volcano,  they  consider  that  he  is  demanding 
a  victim. 

In  1896,  more  than  300  Tagacaolos  had  been  baptized, 
and  were  living  in  a  civilised  manner  in  the  town  of 
Malalag,  now  called  Las  Mercedes.  The  conversion  of  this 
tribe  was  being  actively  carried  on  by  the  assistants  of  the 
veteran  missionary.  Father  Urios,  who  resided  in  Davao 
until  the  Spanish-American  war.  Las  Mercedes  was 
improving,  and  promised  to  become  a  town  of  some 
importance. 

A  detachment  of  infantry  was  stationed  there. 

The  influence  of  the  missionaries  extended  beyond  the 
reducciones,  and  had  some  efTect  amongst  the  heathen  in 
discouraging  human  sacrifices  and  tribal  wars.  It  may  be 
expected  that,  before  long,  these  dreadful  rites  will  be  put 
an  end  to,  if  the  missionaries  are  enabled  to  return. 

Dulanganes  (12). 

The  Dulanganes  hold  a  territory  about  twenty  miles 
square  to  the  south  of  the  Tirurayes,  which  extends  from 
the  crests  of  the  mountains  to  the  coast.  On  the  east  they 
have  the  Vilanes.  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn  anything 
whatever  about  this  people,  nor,  so  far  as  I  know,  are  there 
any  reducciones  in  their  territory. 

Tirurayes  (13). 

The  Tirurayes  occupy  the  hills  to  the  south  of  the  delta 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  the  coast  being  occupied  by  Moros. 

They  are  reported  to  be  of  low  type,  physically,  and  to 
hold  the  chastity  of  their  wives  and  daughters  as  of  no 
account. 

2  A 


354      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  proximity  of  the  Moros  probably  accounts  for  this 
looseness  of  morals.  The  missionaries  have  been  working 
amongst  them  for  years,  and  in  1891  they  had  baptized 
109.  However,  the  converts  were  not  settled  in  towns,  but 
wandered  about  the  hills  as  they  liked.  Since  then,  more 
of  them  have  been  baptized,  and  were  settled  in  Tamontaca, 
and  several  rediiccio7ies  have  been  founded  in  their  territory. 
In  Tamontaca,  during  1896,  between  heathen  and  Moros, 
there  were  152  conversions  and  baptisms  during  the  year, 
besides  197  baptisms  of  infants  born  of  Christian  parents. 
The  Tagacaolos  used  to  apply  to  the  missionaries  for 
everything  they  required — medicine  for  the  sick,  Spanish 
red  wine  for  women  after  child-birth,  or  boards  to  make 
coffins.  So  the  missionaries  not  only  had  to  bury  them 
for  nothing,  but  had  to  find  them  the  coffin  into  the 
bargain. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Tirurayes  declined  to  cut  timber 
for  the  chapels  at  their  rcduccio7ies,  or  to  haul  it  to  place, 
or  to  do  any  kind  of  work  unless  paid  for  it.  Their  zeal 
does  not  lead  them  to  do  anything  for  the  Church  as 
a  free  offering.  They  find  it  very  hard  to  break  them- 
selves of  their  nomadic  customs,  and  are  particularly  apt 
to  remotitar.  However,  they  treated  the  missionaries  with 
great  respect,  and  these  could  go  anywhere  amongst  them 
without  danger. 

Since  the  war,  the  missionaries  have  abandoned  Tamon- 
taca, and  the  whole  neighbourhood  is  in  disorder. 

Tagabelies  (14). 

The  Tagabelies  inhabit  the  hilly  country  between  Lake 
Buluan  and  the  Gulf  of  Sarangani,  to  the  west  of  the 
volcanoes  Magolo  and  Maluturin.  They  are  reported  to 
be  very  ferocious,  and  have  not  been  visited  by  the 
missionaries. 

Samales  (15). 

These  people  inhabit  the  islands  of  Samal  and  Talicud, 
in  the  Gulf  of  Davao,  and  are  not  to  be  confounded  with 
the  Moros  Samales  of  Tawi-tawi  and  Jolo. 

The  Samales  surpass  both  the  Moros  and  Nisayas  in 
muscular  development  and  stature. 

Their  feet  and  hands  are  large  ;  they  have  high  and 
projecting   cheek-bones,    and   a   stiff    beard   standing   out 


SAM  ALES:    THEIR    WORSHIP  355 

round  the  face  gives  it,  according  to  Montano,  something 
of  a  cat-like  appearance.     Both  sexes  dress  like  the  Moros. 

They  are  less  ferocious  than  their  neighbours,  and  do 
not,  like  them,  go  about  armed. 

They  do  not  commit  any  aggressions,  and  are  indus- 
trious. In  character,  they  are  superior  to  the  Moros,  and 
are  not  like  them — cunning  and  deceitful. 

They  have  been  on  good  terms  with  the  Spaniards  for 
a  long  time,  but  until  quite  lately  they  were  very  obstinate, 
and  could  not  be  persuaded  to  be  baptized. 

They  cultivate  the  usual  crops,  fish,  and  make  salt. 
The  women  weave  dagmays. 

They  used  to  have  slaves,  whom  they  purchased  from 
the  Moros  or  Manobos,  and  treated  them  well. 

Formerly,  they  enclosed  their  dead  in  wooden  coffins,, 
made  in  two  parts,  the  shallower  part  serving  as  a  lid.. 
Each  piece  was  hollowed  out  of  a  solid  log.  They  placed 
the  coffins  on  a  rude  platform  in  a  cave  or  niche  in  the 
rocks,  or  else  built  a  thatched  roof  over  it  to  keep  off  the 
rain. 

They  placed  near  the  coffin  buyo  and  bonga  for 
chewing,  and  vases  containing  rice  and  maize.  Each  year 
after  the  harvest  they  went  to  visit  the  dead,  and  renewed 
the  offerings. 

Little  is  known  of  their  former  religion,  but  they  wor- 
shipped the  serpent,  and  believed  in  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  and  in  a  place  of  punishment  by  fire,  which  they  called 
Quilut. 

The  patience  and  zeal  of  the  missionaries  has,  however, 
been  richly  rewarded,  and  in  June,  1894,  a  number  of 
Samales  were  baptized,  including  most  of  their  dattos.  By 
the  autumn  of  that  year  there  was  not  a  heathen  left  in  the 
islands,  and  the  Samales  are  now  settled  in  seven  villages — 
San  Jose,  San  Ramon,  Alcira,  Tarifa,  Carmona,  Cervera, 
and  Pena  Plata.  This  last  was  the  residence  of  the  mis- 
sionaiy,  who  was  accompanied  by  a  lay  brother.  The 
population  at  the  beginning  of  1897  was  1625. 

Vilanes  (16). 

These  people,  the  prey  of  every  warlike  tribe,  and  even 
of  the  Tagacaolos,  live  on  the  summit  of  the  mountains  of 
Buhian,  to  the  east  and  west  of  the  lake  of  that  name. 

Some  of  them  extend  as  far  south  as  the  eastern  shore 

2  A  2 


356      THE   INHABITANTS   01    THE   PHILIPPINES 

of  the  Gulf  of  Sarangani,  and  they  people  the  two  islands  of 
Sarangani  and  Balut. 

They  are  short  and  thickset,  with  little  agility. 

Montano  describes  them  as  having  flat,  broad  noses, 
underhung  jaws,  and  receding  foreheads,  giving  them  an 
appearance  of  stupidity. 

Father  Urios,  however,  writing  about  the  Vilanes  of 
Sarangani  and  Balut,  gives  a  more  favourable  description 
of  them.  He  says  they  are  docile  and  industrious,  and 
more  active  and  intelligent  than  the  Moros  Sanguiles,  who 
live  on  these  same  islands. 

He  thought  them  easy  to  convert,  for  they  have  no 
religious  system  of  their  own  ;  but  they  believe  in  God,  and 
in  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 

Although  living  so  near  the  Moros,  they  have  not 
adopted  any  of  their  religious  ideas. 

The  Sarangani  Vilanes  dress  like  the  Bagobos,  and 
handle  the  lance  and  the  bow,  and  are  good  shots  in 
hunting  game. 

Subatws  (17). 

The  word  Subanos  means  dwellers  by  the  rivers,  from 
suba — a  river.  ^ 

This  numerous  tribe  inhabits  the  western  peninsula  of 
Mindanao  from  Misamis  to  Zamboanga,  except  the  coasts 
which  are  mostly  occupied  by  Visayas  or  Moros. 

They  are  of  a  darker  colour  and  inferior  in  physique  to 
the  Mandayas  and  Monteses. 

Like  other  races  in  Mindanao  the  Subanos  are  organised 
under  dattos  or  baganis  in  a  feudal  system.  It  is  said 
that  he  who  has  killed  one  enemy  may  wear  a  red  head- 
cloth,  whilst  other  tribes  only  concede  this  distinction  to  a 
warrior  who  has  killed  five. 

In  religion,  they  are  polytheists,  and  worship  the 
following  deities  amongst  others  : 

Tagma-sa-dugat,  or  Lord  of  the  Sea. 
Tagma-sa-yuta,  or  Lord  of  the  Earth. 
Tagma-sa-manga  bugund,  or  Lord  of  the  Woods. 
Tagma-sa-manga  Suba,  or  Lord  of  the  Rivers. 
Tagma-sa-Saquit,  or  Lord  Protector  of  the  sick. 

But  they  are  said  not  to  possess  wooden  idols  like  the 
Manobos,  Mandayas   and    Monteses.      They   raise   rough 


SUBANOS:    THEIR   FUNERALS  357 

altars  of  sticks,  on  which  they  lay  out  offerings  to  their 
deities.  They  call  these  altars  Paga-paga.  The  offerings 
consist  of  rice,  chickens,  eggs,  buyo  and  tobacco,  also  a 
large  jar  of  pangasi,  a  beer  brewed  from  rice.  When 
making  their  offerings,  they  sing,  dance,  and  pray  round 
the  altar  to  the  sound  of  the  sucaran,  a  rough  kind  of 
cymbal  or  gong.  Amongst  the  Subanos  only  the  dattos 
or  rich  men  have  more  than  one  wife.  The  marriage 
ceremonies  are  very  elaborate,  and  conclude  with  two 
great  feasts  or  drinking  bouts,  one  in  the  house  of  the 
bride's  father,  the  other  in  the  house  of  the  bridegroom. 
Divorce  can  be  obtained  if  the  couple  cannot  agree,  or  if 
either  quarrels  with  the  father-  or  mother-in-law.  It  is  not 
readily  conceded,  and  the  case  is  sometimes  argued  for 
days  before  the  council  of  elders  of  the  village.  Children 
are  only  given  names  when  four  or  five  years  old.  The 
Subanos  have  no  money  in  circulation,  and  any  trading 
is  effected  by  barter. 

They  bury  their  dead  the  day  after  their  decease, 
wrapping  the  body  in  a  mat.  The  grave  is  dug  about  a 
yard  deep,  and  near  the  house.  The  Balian  or  priest 
accompanies  the  bearers,  and  sprinkles  water  on  the  house 
and  ground  as  he  goes.  Women  do  not  accompany  the 
funeral  party.  The  body  is  laid  on  a  bed  of  leaves,  resting 
on  a  framework  of  sticks  or  canes  at  the  bottom  of  the 
grave.  The  sides  are  protected  in  the  same  way,  and  over 
it  another  framework  is  constructed,  carrying  an  earthen 
jar  containing  food  and  clothing.  The  weapons  of  the 
defunct  are  laid  over  him,  and  the  grave  is  filled  in  with 
earth,  great  care  being  taken  not  to  let  a  particle  of  it  touch 
the  body.  Sacrifices  are  made  to  the  god  Diuata  ;  these 
constitute  the  funeral  feast,  which  is  consumed  in  silence. 
When  it  is  concluded,  the  dishes  and  pots  which  contained 
it  are  turned  upside  down. 

On  the  eighth  day  another  feast  is  held,  when  they  talk 
and  dance,  intoxicating  themselves  with  copious  libations 
of  pangasi.  The  priest  then  goes  through  a  ceremony  the 
purport  of  which  is  to  hand  over  the  soul  of  the  defunct  to 
Diuata-sa-langit,  the  god  of  heaven,  he  begs  the  soul  to  go 
away  with  the  god,  and  to  trouble  them  no  more.  They 
then  renew  the  dancing  and  drinking,  and  thus  conclude  the 
period  of  mourning. 

The  houses  of  the  Subanos  are  similarly  constructed  to 
those  of  the  Manobos,  Monteses,  and  other  tribes,  but  are 


358      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE   PHILIPPINES 

not  always  raised  so  high  from  the  ground,  and  arc  more 
roughly  built.  Their  food  is  similar  to  that  of  the  other 
heathen  tribes.  The  men  wear  their  hair  long,  but  coiled 
up  on  the  head,  and  covered  with  a  kerchief  worn  like  a 
turban.  They  dress  in  a  tight  jacket  and  trousers,  either 
white,  blue,  or  red.  Sometimes  they  wear  a  sash.  The 
men  do  not  wear  ear-ornaments  of  any  kind.  The  women 
wear  large  combs  made  by  themselves  from  bamboos,  but 
no  head-covering.  Their  ornaments  are  ear-rings,  strings 
of  beads  round  the  neck,  and  many  bangles  or  bracelets  of 
brass  or  silver.  They  are  clothed  in  a  short  shirt,  either  of 
homespun  or  Manchester  cotton,  and  a  skirt  worn  tight 
round  the  body,  and  reaching  below  the  knees. 

The  weapons  of  the  Subanos  are  the  lance,  which  they 
call  talanan,  a  round  shield  they  call  taming,  a  scimitar 
they  call  campilan,  the  Malay  kris  they  call  caliz,  the 
machete  or  pes. 

Their  agriculture  and  industries  are  very  primitive,  and 
■on  a  small  scale. 

They  have  scarcely  any  other  musical  instrument  than 
brass  gongs  called  Agiim.  which  are  played  as  dance  music 
to  their  two  dances,  the  Saldirmgan  and  the  Sinigay.  In 
the  first  of  these  dances  the  men  stand  up  in  a  row,  opposite 
a  row  of  women.  All  hold  a  palm-branch  in  each  hand 
with  which  to  beat  time.  They  jump  up  and  down  with 
eyes  fixed  on  the  ground. 

For  the  Sinigay,  however,  the  partners  touch  each 
other's  hands,  but  only  with  the  points  of  the  fingers.  The 
Subano,  equivalent  to  our  Mrs.  Grundy,  would  feel  shocked 
to  see  gentlemen  dancing  with  their  arms  round  their 
partners'  waists. 

The  principal  feast  is  called  Birclog,  and  it  lasts  eight 
days.  A  large  shed  is  built,  the  priests  offer  prayers  to  the 
before-mentioned  gods,  and  sacrifice  swine  and  poultry. 
The  pigs  are  strangled  by  a  rope  held  or  jerked  by  all  the 
priests,  and  are  placed  on  the  altar  one  at  a  time.  Above 
the  carcass  is  placed  a  live  cock,  which  they  kill  by 
wounding  it  through  the  mouth  and  letting  it  bleed  to 
death.     They  also  offer  tobacco,  rice,  and  pangasi. 

The  offerings  are  taken  away  to  be  cut  up  and  cooked. 
They  are  then  served,  and  the  pangasi  goes  round,  the 
priests  being  always  served  first  and  getting  the  best  of 
everything,  as  seems  to  be  the  case  all  the  world  over. 

When  the  first  lot  of  people  have  been  fed,  they  vacate 


SUBANOS:    THEIR   FEASTS  359 

the  shed,  which  is  instantly  filled  by  a  fresh  lot.  Some- 
times in  one  of  these  feasts  they  consume  twenty  pigs  and 
forty  ten-gallon  jars  of  the  strong  rice-beer.  When  in- 
toxicated, their  conduct,  according  to  Father  Sanchez,  S.J., 
is  apt  to  overstep  the  bounds  of  propriety,  but  in  this  they 
are  very  much  like  more  civilised  people  in  the  same 
condition. 

The  only  vessels  possessed  by  the  Subanos  are  some 
canoes,  or  dug-outs,  on  the  rivers.  These  are  sometimes  of 
great  length,  and  are  called  by  them  Sacaya^i.  They 
propel  them  with  great  skill,  using  a  long  double-ended 
paddle  which  they  use  standing  up,  and  alternately  on 
either  side.  Like  many  other  races  of  the  Far  East,  they 
consider  a  lunar  eclipse  as  the  precursor  of  great  calamities, 
and  make  a  deafening  noise  to  frighten  away  the  serpent  or 
dragon  which  is  swallowing  the  moon.  They  consider  the 
turtle-dove,  or  limocon,  as  an  omen-bird,  and  will  halt  or 
perhaps  return  if  they  hear  its  cry  when  starting  on  a 
journey.  Also  if  they  hear  any  one  sneeze  whilst  going 
down  the  ladder  of  the  house,  they  return,  and  remain 
within  doors. 

Some  of  the  Subanos  bear  Moro  titles,  such  as  Timuay, 
which  is  equivalent  to  third  class  judge.  Father  Vilaclara, 
S.J.,  a  bold  and  enterprising  missionary,  visited,  in  1890, 
the  house  of  a  Subano  named  Audos,  who  had  recently 
succeeded  his  father  as  Timuay  of  the  Sindangan  River. 

He  counted  twenty-nine  persons,  great  and  small,  in 
the  house,  but  this  did  not  include  the  whole  family,  as 
several  were  absent  at  their  occupations.  The  house  was 
built  on  piles,  according  to  the  universal  custom,  and  the 
floor  could  not  be  reached  from  the  ground  by  the  longest 
lance.  It  measured  eighteen  yards  long  by  ten  yards  wide, 
and  formed  one  vast  apartment,  there  being  no  partitions  of 
any  kind.  The  floor  was  made  of  strips  of  bamboo,  and  on 
this  account  it  must  be  out  of  reach,  for  as  the  inhabitants 
sleep  on  grass  mats  laid  on  the  floor,  they  could  easily  be 
speared  in  the  night  through  the  interstices  of  the  canes. 

Five  married  couples  and  their  children  occupied  this 
apartment,  each  having  its  own  part  of  the  floor,  its  own 
store  of  rice,  its  own  pigs  and  poultry.  Each  family  cooked 
and  ate  independently,  but  all  showed  the  greatest  respect 
to  the  aged  grandparents,  and  consulted  them  about  their 
affairs.  Father  Vilaclara  appears  to  have  ultimately  con- 
verted the  whole  family,  beginning  with  the  boys,  whom  he 


36o      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

took  under  his  charge,  dressed  and  fed  them,  and  taught 
them  to  speak  Visaya. 

Gold-washing  and  gold-mining  is  practised  by  the 
Subanos  between  Dapitan  and  Misamis,  where  there  is 
a  vast  extension  of  gold-bearing  sand  and  earth.  Near 
Pigtao  auriferous  iron  pyrites  occurs.  The  native  name 
for  this  ore  is  Inga. 

Horses  are  very  abundant  in  the  district  of  Misamis,  and 
in  common  use  for  riding  and  as  pack  carriers. 

The  Subanos  have  the  reputation  of  being  war-like,  yet 
until  lately  they  were  entirely  dominated  by  the  Moros 
wherever  they  came  in  contact.  Since  1893  the  Spaniards 
have  isolated  them  from  the  Ilanao  Moros  by  establishing 
a  chain  of  forts,  and  making  a  Trocha,  or  military  road, 
across  the  narrow  neck  of  land  from  Tucuran  on  the  Bahia 
Illana  to  Balatacan  on  Bahia  Panquil.  The  width  of  the 
isthmus  here  is  about  sixteen  miles,  and  the  forts  are  called 
Alfonso  XIII,  Infanta  Isabel,  Sta.  Paz,  and  Sta.  Eulalia, 
and  Maria  Cristina. 

The  Subanos  appear  to  be  much  more  refractory  to 
civilisation  and  Christianity  than  theMonteses,  the  Manobos 
or  the  Mandayas.  This  no  doubt  comes  from  the  strong 
influence  that  vile  nests  of  pirates  and  slave-traders  around 
Lake  Lanao  has  for  centuries  exercised  over  them,  but  in 
time  the  Trocha,  if  kept  as  it  should  be,  in  the  interests  of 
civilisation,  will  destroy  that. 

The  Jesuit  missionaries  were  actively  at  work  round 
about  the  Bay  of  Dapitan  in  the  extreme  north  of  the 
Subano  territory,  and  to  some  extent  round  about  Zam- 
boanga  in  the  extreme  south,  until  the  war  between  Spain 
and  America  broke  out. 

In  the  Dapitan  district  there  were  at  the  end  of  1896 
nearly  1 5,000  Christians  residing  in  the  towns  and  villages 
under  the  spiritual,  and  temporal  guidance  of  the  Jesuits. 
During  that  year  208  heathen  were  baptized  in  the  Dapitan 
district,  but  only  21  in  the  Zamboanga  district. 

It  is  safe  to  assume  that  in  the  Dapitan  district  alone 
there  are  10,000  Christian  Subanos. 

The  number  of  heathen  Subanos,  amongst  whom  there 
are  a  few  semi-Mahometans,  may  be  about  90,000.  From 
these  figures  it  is  quite  evident  that  the  missionary  enter- 
prise should  be  extended,  but  in  order  to  do  this  the 
insolence  of  the  Moros  must  be  chastised. 


(     36i     ) 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

THE   MOROS,   OR   MAHOMETAN    MALAYS   (l8   TO    23). 

These  terrible  pirates  who  have  for  centuries  laid  waste 
the  coasts  of  the  Philippines  and  the  adjacent  islands,  with 
fire  and  sword,  carrying  off  tens  of  thousands  of  Christians 
or  heathen  into  slavery,  have  only  within  the  last  few  years 
had  their  power  definitely  broken  by  the  naval  and  military 
forces  of  Spain  and  by  the  labours  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries, 
amongst  the  heathen  tribes  of  the  island. 

It  is  scarcely  half  a  century  since  they  annually  attacked 
the  Visayas  Islands  and  even  Southern  Luzon,  and  they 
have  been,  up  to  quite  lately,  the  great  obstacle  to  the 
civilisation  of  the  Southern  Philippines.  In  Culion,  Cuyos 
and  other  islands  the  churches  are  built  within  a  stone  fort, 
in  which  the  population  took  refuge  when  the  Moros 
appeared.  The  old  Spanish  sailing  men-of-war  could  not 
cope  with  these  sea  rovers,  who  in  their  light  prahus,  salisi- 
panes,  or  vintas,  kept  in  shallow  water  or  amongst  reefs 
where  these  vessels  could  not  reach  them.  Of  course,  if 
the  pirates  were  surprised  when  crossing  open  water,  they 
ran  great  risks,  since  their  artillery  was  always  very 
deficient,  but  they  sailed  in  great  numbers,  and  if  it  fell 
calm  they  would  cluster  round  a  solitary  man-of-war  and 
take  her  by  boarding. 

In  consequence,  a  special  force  was  raised  in  the 
Philippines  to  protect  the  coasts  against  these  pests.  It 
was  called  "  La  Marina  Sutil,"  or  the  Light  Navy.  This 
force  consisted  of  large  flat-bottomed  launches  propelled  hy 
oars  and  sails.  They  were  half-decked  forward,  and  carried 
a  long  brass  gun,  on  a  slide,  and  some  swivels  on  the 
quarters.  These  boats  were  coppered  and  fitted  with  a 
cabin  at  the  after  part.  They  carried  forty  or  fifty  men, 
all  natives,  and  squadrons  of  them  were  stationed  at  the 


362      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

principal  southern  ports  from  whence  they  patrolled  the 
coasts.  Most  of  the  officers  were  natives  or  mestizos  ;  some 
of  them  survive  to  this  day.  These  vessels  rendered  good 
service,  and  to  some  extent  checked  the  incursions  of  the 
pirates,  but  they  had  not  the  speed  to  follow  up  the  fast- 
rowing  vintas  of  the  Moros,  which  could  always  escape 
from  them  unless  caught  in  narrow  waters.  In  1824, 
D.  Alonso  Morgado  was  appointed  Captain  of  the  Marina 
Sutil,  and  severely  chastised  the  Moros. 

Some  of  these  rowing  gun-boats  are  still  to'  be  seen 
rotting  on  the  beach  at  the  southern  naval  stations.  But 
the  introduction  of  steam  gun-boats  in  i860  gradually  did 
away  with  the  Marina  Sutil,  and  sounded  the  knell  of 
piracy  in  the  Philippines.  The  Moros  received  terrible 
chastisement  at  the  hands  of  these  steam  gun-boats,  one  of 
which,  with  a  crew  of  only  forty  men,  has  been  known  to 
destroy  a  whole  fleet  of  pirates,  and  now  their  power  on  the 
sea  has  become  only  a  dread  tradition  of  the  past. 

Even  with  all  the  advantages  of  steam  propulsion,  their 
suppression  has  been  a  matter  of  the  utmost  difficulty,  for 
the  Moros  are  not  only  possessed  of  the  greatest  personal 
valour,  but  are  extremely  skilful  in  taking  advantage  of 
every  circumstance  that  can  favour  their  defence. 

Their  towns  are  mostly  built  in  the  water,  like  the  City 
of  Brunei,  the  houses  having  bamboo  bridges  to  connect 
them  with  the  shore,  which  can  be  removed  when  desirable. 
They  select  a  site  well  protected  by  reefs  or  islands,  or 
only  to  be  approached  by  long  and  tortuous  channels 
through  mangrove  swamps  enfiladed  by  guns  cunningly 
concealed  from  view  ;  a  very  death-trap  to  an  attack  by 
boats. 

On  rising  ground  and  flanking  their  settlements  they 
built  their  Cottas  or  forts.  The  walls  of  these  strongholds 
are  a  double  stockade  of  great  trunks  of  trees,  the  space 
between  them  being  filled  with  rock,  stones,  or  earth 
rammed  in.  Some  of  these  walls  are  24  feet  thick  and  as 
much  as  30  feet  high,  defended  by  brass  and  iron  guns,  and 
by  numerous  lantacas.  Such  places  can  stand  a  deal  of 
battering,  and  are  not  easily  taken  by  assault,  for  the  Moros 
mount  the  ramparts  and  make  a  brave  defence,  firing  grape 
from  their  guns  and  lantacas,  and  as  the  assailants  approach, 
hurling  their  spears  on  them  to  a  surprising  distance,  with 
accurate  aim,  and  manfully  standing  up  to  them  in  the 
breaches. 


[  To  face  p.  363. 


THE     MORO    SWORD    AND    SPEAR. 


MOROS:    INDOMITABLE  AND   FANATIC         363 

Should  the  assault  slacken  they  never  fail  to  rush  out, 
helmet  on  head,  clad  in  coats  of  mail,  and  with  sword  and 
buckler  engage  the  foe  in  a  desperate  hand-to-hand  struggle 
where  quarter  is  neither  asked  nor  given. 

The  annals  of  Moro-Spanish  war  include  many  well- 
contested  combats,  where,  to  use  the  language  of  Froissart, 
"  many  heavy  blows  were  given  and  received,"  where  the 
most  desperate  exertions  of  Spain's  bravest  officers,  backed 
up  by  their  war-like  and  hardy  troops,  not  seldom  failed  to 
carry  the  forts  held  by  the  indomitable  and  fanatic  Moros. 
Such  Homeric  combats  were  those  between  that  dreaded 
Sultan  of  Mindanao,  Cachit  Corralat  and  Don  Sebastian 
Hurtado  de  Corcuera,  and  Captain  Atienzas'  bold  attack 
on  the  hosts  of  the  confederated  Moros  of  Lake  Lanao. 
Nor  were  the  Spanish  missionaries  less  active  than  the 
soldiers  on  the  field  of  battle,  or  in  the  most  deperate 
assaults.  Crucifix  in  hand.  Father  San  Agustin  and 
Father  Ducos  calmly  walked  through  many  a  hail  of 
bullets  and  many  a  flight  of  spears  leading  and  en- 
couraging their  half-savage  converts  in  their  resistance  to 
these  cruel  oppressors. 

Not  to  be  out-done  by  either  soldier  or  priest,  Captain 
Malcampo,  of  the  Spanish  Navy,  drove  his  vessel,  the 
Ccmstancia,  right  up  to  the  Cotta  of  Pangalungan  till  her 
bowsprit  touched  the  ramparts,  then,  sword  in  hand,  leading 
a  company  of  boarders,  and  using  the  bowsprit  as  a  bridge, 
he  carried  the  fort  by  assault,  and  put  the  garrison  to  the 
sword. 

The  thirsty  soil  of  Mindanao  has  drunk  freely  of  Spanish 
blood,  and  Pampango,  Tagal,  and  Visaya  have  all  worthily 
borne  their  part  in  this  long  drawn-out  crusade  of  the  Cross 
against  the  Crescent. 

But  not  alone  the  Moro  sword  and  spear  has  delayed 
for  so  long  the  conquest  of  Mindanao.  Deadly  fevers  lurk 
in  the  lowlands,  the  swamps  and  the  creeks  of  that  rich  and 
fertile  island. 

The  Moros  appear  impervious  to  the  malaria.  At  all 
events  they  live  and  thrive  in,  or  in  close  proximity  to, 
mangrove  swamp  and  flooded  jungle.  The  Tagal  or  the 
Visaya  is  not  immune,  and  some  even  resist  an  attack  of 
the  terrible  perniciosa  less  than  a  white  man.  I  shall  never 
in  my  life  forget  the  awful  sights  I  witnessed  in  i  Z'^l  and 
1892  when  some  native  regiments  returned  to  Manila  from 
the  war  in  Mindanao.     Any  one  who  saw  Shaftcr's  army 


36+      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

disembark  on  their  return  from  Cuba  will  understand  me. 
Those  who  could  march  were  mere  walking  corpses,  but 
the  shrunken  forms,  the  livid  tint  and  the  glassy  eyes  of 
those  who  could  not  stand  (and  there  were  hundreds  of 
them),  brought  the  horrors  of  mismanaged  war  to  the  on- 
looker like  one  of  Vereschagin's  realistic  masterpieces. 

But  as  the  slaughter  of  the  Dervishes  at  Omdurman 
teaches,  not  even  the  most  dauntless  bravery  can  prevail 
against  modern  weapons  in  the  hands  of  tolerably  dis- 
ciplined troops.  The  quick-firing  gun,  the  howitzer  with 
shrapnell  shell,  the  machine-gun  and  the  magazine-rifle 
must  inevitably  bring  about  the  subjugation  of  every  low- 
land population  not  supplied  with  these  dread  engines  of 
civilisation,  and  only  the  hardy  dwellers  in  Nature's  loftiest 
fastnesses,  the  Himalayas  or  the  Andes,  may  hope  to  retain 
their  independence  in  the  future. 

It  is  a  striking  instance  of  the  irony  of  fate  that,  just  as 
modern  weapons  have  turned  the  scale  in  favour  of  the 
Spaniards  in  this  long  struggle,  and  brought  the  Moros 
within  measurable  distance  of  subjection,  when  only  one 
more  blow  required  to  be  struck,  Spain's  Oriental  Empire 
should  suddenly  vanish  in  the  smoke  of  Dewey's  guns, 
and  her  flag  disappear  for  ever  from  battlements  where 
(except  for  the  short  interval  of  British  occupation,  1762-3) 
it  has  proudly  waved  through  storm  and  sunshine  for 
three  hundred  and  twenty-eight  years. 

Such,  however,  is  the  case,  and  it  now  falls  to  the  United 
States  to  complete  the  task  of  centuries,  to  stretch  out  a 
protecting  hand  over  the  Christian  natives  of  Mindanao, 
and  to  suppress  the  last  remains  of  a  slave-raiding  system, 
as  ruthless,  as  sanguinary  and  as  devastating  as  the  annals 
of  the  world  can  show. 

The  Moros  of  Mindanao  are  divided  into  five  groups 
or  tribes  ;  I  llanos,  Sanguiles,  Lutangas,  Calibuganes,  and 
Yacanes. 

(18)  The  Moros  Illanos,  who  are  the  most  important 
and  the  most  dangerous  community,  are  described  fully 
later  on.  They  inhabit  the  country  between  the  Bay  of 
Iligan  and  lUana  Bay,  also  round  Lake  Lanao,  the  Rio 
Grande  and  Lake  Liguan. 

(19)  The  Moros  Sanguiles  live  on  the  south  coast  from 
the  Bay  of  Sarangani  to  the  River  Kulut. 

(20)  The  Moros  Lutangas  occupy  the  Island  of  Olutanga 
and  parts  of  the  adjacents   coasts,  all   round    the   Bay  of 


MOROS:    THEIR    WEAPONS  365 

Dumanguilas  and   Maligay,   and  the  eastern  coast  of  the 
Bay  of  Sibuguay. 

(21)  The  Moros  Calibuganes  occupy  the  western  coast 
of  the  Bay  of  Sibuguay,  they  are  also  dotted  along  the 
outer  coast  of  the  Peninsula  as  far  as  the  Bay  of  Sindangan. 
They  communicate  by  land  across  the  mountains. 

(22)  The  Moros  Yacanes  occupy  the  western  part  of 
the  Island  of  Basilan,  and  the  islands  of  the  Tapul  group. 

(23)  The  Moros  Samales  are  not  inhabitants  of  Min- 
danao, but  occupy  and  dominate  the  Islands  of  Jolo, 
Tawi-tawi  and  most  of  the  smaller  islands  of  those  groups. 

Physically,  the  Moro  is  a  man  built  for  the  fatigues  of 
war,  whether  by  sea  or  land. 

His  sinewy  frame  combines  strength  and  agility,  and  the 
immense  development  of  the  thorax  gives  him  marvellous 
powers  of  endurance  at  the  oar  or  on  the  march. 

Trained  to  arms  from  his  earliest  youth,  he  excels  in 
the  management  of  the  lance,  the  buckler  and  the  sword. 
These  weapons  are  his  inseparable  companions  :  the  typical 
Moro  is  never  unarmed.  He  fights  equally  well  on  foot, 
on  horseback,  in  his  fleet  war  canoe,  or  in  the  water,  for  he 
swims  like  a  fish  and  dives  like  a  penguin. 

Absolutely  indifferent  to  bloodshed  or  suffering,  he  will 
take  the  life  of  a  slave  or  a  stranger  merely  to  try  the 
keenness  of  a  new  weapon.  He  will  set  one  of  his  sons,  a 
mere  boy,  to  kill  some  defenceless  man,  merely  to  get  his 
hand  in  at  slaughter.*  If  for  any  reason  he  becomes 
disgusted  with  his  luck,  or  tired  of  life,  he  will  shave  off  his 
eyebrows,  dress  himself  entirely  in  red,  and  taking  the  oath 
before  his  Pandit,  run  amok  in  some  Christian  settlement, 
killing  man,  woman  and  child,  till  he  is  shot  down  by  the 
enraged  townsmen. 

Wanton  destruction  is  his  delight.  After  plundering 
and  burning  some  sea-coast  town  in  Visayas  or  Luzon,  they 
would  take  the  trouble  to  cut  down  the  fruit  trees,  destroy 
the  crops  and  everything  else  that  they  could  not  carry 
away. 

Yet,  as  they  made  annual  raids,  it  would  have  appeared 
to  be  good  policy  to  leave  the  dwellings,  the  fruit  trees,  and 
the  crops,  in  order  to  tempt  the  natives  to  re-occupy  the 
town  and  accumulate  material  for  subsequent  plundering. 

Commonly,  very  ignorant  of  his  own  religion,  he  is  none 

*  See  '  In  Court  and  Kampong,'  by  Hugh  Clifford. 


366      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

the  less  a  fanatic  in  its  defence,  and  nourishes  a  traditional 
and  fervent  hatred  against  the  Christian,  whether  European 
or  native. 

Looking  upon  work  as  a  disgrace,  his  scheme  of  life  is 
simple  ;  it  consists  in  making  slaves  of  less  war-like  men,  to 
work  for  him,  and  taking  their  best  looking  girls  for  his 
concubines.  His  victims  for  centuries,  when  not  engaged 
on  a  piratical  cruise,  have  been  the'hill-tribes  of  the  island, 
the  Subanos,  the  Tagacaolos,  the  Vilanes,  the  Manguangas 
and  others. 

Originally  immigrants  from  Borneo,  from  Celebes  or 
Ternate,  with  some  Arab  admixture,  the  Moros  have  for 
centuries  filled  their  harems  with  the  women  of  the  hill- 
tribes,  and  with  Tagal  and  Visayas  and  even  Spanish 
women,  taken  in  their  piratical  excursions.  They  are  now 
a  very  mixed  race,  but  retain  all  their  w^ar-like  charac- 
teristics. 

Cut  off  from  the  sea  by  the  Spanish  Naval  forces,  they 
turned  with  greater  energy  than  ever  to  the  plundering  and 
enslaving  of  their  neighbours,  the  hill-men.  These  poor 
creatures,  living  in  small  groups,  could  offer  but  little 
resistance,  and  fell  an  easy  prey.  But  now  the  devoted 
labours  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  began  to  bear  fruit. 
They  converted  the  hill-men,  and  gathered  them  together 
in  larger  communities,  better  able  to  protect  themselves, 
and  although  the  Moros  sometimes  burnt  whole  towns  and 
slew  all  who  resisted,  carrying  off  the  w^omen  and  children 
into  slavery,  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  it  often  happened  that, 
getting  notice  of  their  approach,  the  Jesuits  assembled  the 
fighting  men  of  several  towns,  and,  being  provided  with  a 
few  fire-arms  by  the  Government,  they  fell  upon  the  Moros 
and  utterly  routed  them,  driving  them  back  to  their  own 
territory  with  great  loss.  Of  late  years  the  Moros  have 
found  their  slave-raids  involve  more  danger  than  they  care 
to  face,  and  even  the  powerful  confederation  of  Lake  Lanao 
was,  till  the  Spanish  American  war,  hemmed  in  by  chains 
of  forts  and  by  Christian  towns. 

But  they  have  by  no  means  entirely  renounced  their 
slave-raiding,  and  in  order  to  give  a  specific  instance  of 
their  behaviour  in  recent  years,  I  will  mention  that  on  the 
31st.  of  December,  1893,  a  party  of  370  of  them,  under  the 
Datto  Ali,  son  to  Datto  Nua,  accompanied  by  seven  other 
Dattos,  all  well  armed,  and  forty  of  them  carrj-ing  muskets 
or  rifles,  and  plenty  of  ammunition,  made  an  unprovoked 


MOROS :    THEIR  BARBARITY  367 

and  treacherous  attack  on  Lepanto,  a  Christian  village  in 
the  Montes  country,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Kulaman 
River  with  the  Pulangui,  between  the  Locosocan  and 
Salagalpon  cataracts.  This  is  the  extreme  southern  settle- 
ment of  the  Jesuits,  and  the  nearest  missionary  resided  at 
Linabo,  whilst  the  nearest  garrison  was  at  Bugcaon,  some 
four  leagues  distant. 

The  inhabitants,  not  being  provided  with  fire-arms, 
sought  safety  in  flight,  but  the  IMoros  captured  fourteen  of 
them.  They  profaned  the  church,  hacked  to  pieces  the 
image  of  Our  Saviour,  and  cut  up  a  painting  of  Our  Lady 
of  the  Rosary,  smashed  the  altar,  and  with  the  debris, 
lighted  a  bonfire  in  the  middle  of  the  church,  which,  strange 
to  say,  however,  did  not  take  fire. 

They  stole  the  cattle  and  horses,  looted  the  village,  and 
marched  off  with  their  spoil  and  the  fourteen  captives. 

When,  however,  they  reached  the  ford  on  the  River 
Mulita,  five  of  the  Christians  refused  to  proceed  into 
slavery.  These  were  the  Datto  Mausalaya,  another  man 
named  Masumbalan,  and  three  women.  They  were  all  put 
to  death  by  the  Moros  and  barbarously  mutilated.  The 
flesh  was  cut  from  their  bones,  and  it  is  said  that  the  Moros 
consumed  some  of  it,  and  so  terrified  the  other  captives 
that  they  marched  forward  into  life-long  slavery. 

Had  the  converts  in  Lepanto  been  supplied  with  a  few 
fire-arms,  this  disaster  would  not  have  happened. 

The  Mindanao  Moros  commonly  wear  a  bright  coloured 
handkerchief  as  a  head-cloth  or  turban,  a  split  shirt  of 
Chinese  pattern,  wide  trousers,  and  gaudy  sashes. 

The  young  men  shave  their  heads,  but  after  marriage 
they  let  their  hair  grow  long. 

The  dattos,  mandarines,  and  pandits  usually  cultivate 
a  moustache,  others  pluck  out  all  the  hair  on  the  face.  The 
poorer  women  commonly  dress  in  white  and  wear  a  jacket 
and  a  skirt  coming  down  well  below  the  knee.  The  richer 
ones  wear  silks  of  the  brightest  colours. 

A  white  turban  or  head-cloth  is  a  sign  of  mourning. 

The  illustration  shows  a  group  of  Moros  of  the  East 
coast.     They  are  unarmed,  unlike  those  of  Lake  Lanao. 

The  Moro  noble  takes  great  pride  in  his  long  descent, 
and  in  the  distinction  gained  in  war  by  his  ancestors. 
During  the  long  hours  of  their  friendly  meetings  called 
Bichdras,  they  relate  to  each  other  tales  of  their  ancestors' 
heroism. 


368      THE  INHABITANTS   OF    THE  PHILIPPINES 

Their  feudal  system  has  been  more  or  less  copied  by 
Subanos,  Manobos.  Monteses  and  other  hill-races.  The 
datto  or  mandarin  is  the  feudal  chief  amongst  all  these,  but 
the  Moros  have  gone  a  step  further,  and  have  instituted 
rajahs  and  sultans,  although  with  only  a  shadowy  authority  ; 
for  every  important  matter  must  come  before  the  council 
of  dattos  for  approval. 

They  use  titles  similar  to  those  of  the  Malays  of  Borneo 
and  Johore.  Tuang,  the  head-man  of  a  village  ;  Cuano,  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace;  Lamudia,  Nacuda  and  Timuay,  ist, 
2nd,  and  3rd  class  judges;  Gangalia,  a  constable  ;  Baguadato, 
a  principal,  or  Cabeza ;  Maradiadina,  eldest  son  of  a 
principal.  A  datto  is  known  by  the  richness  of  his  apparel 
and  by  using  gold  buttons,  and  especially  by  always 
carrying  a  handkerchief  in  his  hand.  He  is  usually 
followed  by  a  slave  carrying  his  siri-box. 

Like  the  Malays,  they  call  the  heir  of  a  rajah  the  Rajah- 
muda  ;  the  nephew  of  a  sultan  uses  the  epithet  Paduca  ;  the 
son  of  a  sultan  calls  himself  Majarasin,  the  pure  or  mighty. 

Orang-Kaya,  corresponds  to  a  magnate  ;  Cachil,  to  a 
prince  of  the  blood.  The  war-minister  of  a  sultan  is  called 
the  Datto  Realao. 

A  principal  priest  is  called  a  Sarif  or  sheriff;  and  an 
ordinary  priest  a  Pandita,  or  learned  man. 

The  learning  of  these  worthies  is  of  the  most  rudi- 
mentary description,  and  consists  in  being  able  to  read  the 
Koran  in  Arabic,  and  to  recite  certain  prayers  which  they 
often  do  not  understand. 

They  have  some  wretched  sheds  for  places  of  worship 
which  they  call  Langa.  During  the  fast  of  Sanibayang, 
which  lasts  for  seven  days,  they  are  supposed  to  abstain 
from  all  nourishment.  However,  at  midnight,  when  they 
think  their  god  may  be  napping,  they  indulge  in  a  hurried 
meal  on  the  quiet.  At  the  end  of  their  week  of  abstinence 
they  undergo  a  purification  by  bathing,  and  indemnify 
themselves  for  their  fasts  by  several  sumptuous  banquets. 
They  are  forbidden  to  eat  swine's  flesh,  or  drink  spirituous 
liquors,  but  they  are  not  at  all  strict  in  their  religion,  and 
the  savoury  smell  of  roast  pork  has  been  known  to  over- 
come their  scruples. 

They  are  very  fond  of  smoking  tobacco,  and  of  chewing 
buyo  ;  some  indulge  in  opium  smoking. 

Their  amusements  are  gambling,  cock-fighting,  and 
combats   of  buffaloes.     Their   slave-girls   perform   various 


MOROS :    THEIR  MORALS  369 

libidinous  dances  to  the  sound  of  the  agun,  or  brass  gong, 
and  the  calintangang,  a  kind  of  harmonium  of  strips  of 
metal  struck  by  a  small  drum-stick. 

The  dance  called  the  Paujalay  is  usually  performed  at  a 
marriage  of  any  importance,  and  the  young  dancers,  clad 
in  diaphanous  garments,  strive  to  present  their  charms  in 
the  most  alluring  postures,  for  the  entertainment  of  the 
dattos  and  their  guests. 

They  have  also  a  war-dance  called  the  Moro-moro, 
which  is  performed  by  their  most  skilful  and  agile  swords- 
men, buckler  on  arm  and  cainpilan  in  hand  to  the  sound  of 
martial  music.  It  simulates  a  combat,  and  the  dancers 
spring  sideways,  backwards  or  forwards,  and  cut,  thrust, 
guard,  or  feint  with  surprising  dexterity. 

The  Moros  are  polygamists  in  general,  although  the 
influence  of  the  Christian  women  taken  as  captives  and 
sometimes  married  to  their  captors,  has,  in  many  cases, 
succeeded  in  preventing  their  husbands  from  taking  a 
second  wife.  The  cleverness  and  aptitude  for  business  of 
Christian  Visayas,  and  Tagal  women  captives,  has  some- 
times raised  them  to  the  highest  position  in  rank  and 
wealth  amongst  the  Moros  ;  and  i^w  of  them  would  have 
returned  to  their  former  homes,  even  if  an  occasion  had 
offered.  The  custom  of  seizing  girls  for  slaves  and  con- 
cubines which  has  prevailed  amongst  the  Moros  for 
centuries,  has  of  course  had  the  effect  of  encouraging 
sensuality,  and  the  morals  of  Moro  society  may  be  compared 
to  those  of  a  rabbit-warren. 

The  Moros  do  not  always  treat  their  slaves  with  cruelty, 
they  rather  strive  to  attach  them  to  their  new  home  by 
giving  them  a  female  captive  or  a  slave-girl  they  have 
tired  of,  as  a  wife,  assisting  them  to  build  a  house,  and 
making  their  lot  as  easy  as  is  compatible  with  getting  some 
work  out  of  them. 

But  perhaps  the  greatest  allurement  to  one  of  these 
slaves  is  when  his  master  takes  him  with  him  on  a  slave- 
raid,  and  gives  him  the  opportunity  of  securing  some 
plunder,  and  perhaps  a  slave  for  himself 

Once  let  him  arrive  at  this  stage,  and  his  master  need 
have  no  fear  of  his  absconding. 

The  Spaniards  have  for  years  refused  to  send  back  any 
slaves  who  claim  their  protection,  yet  it  has  been  remarked 
by  Dr.  Montano,  and  by  missionaries  and  Spanish  military 
officers,  that  slaves  have  been  employed  fishing  or  tilling 

2  B 


370      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE   PHILIPPINES 

the  ground  near  the  Spanish  outposts,  and  only  rarely 
would  one  step  within  the  lines  to  obtain  his  liberty. 

If  caught  running  away  from  their  masters,  the  dattos, 
they  are  sometimes  put  to  death,  or  mutilated  in  a  most 
cruel  manner. 

The  famous  Datto  Utto,  of  the  Rio  Grande,  is  said  to 
have  stripped  a  runaway  slave  naked  and  to  have  tied  him 
to  a  tree,  leaving  him  to  be  stung  to  death  by  the  mosquitos 
or  devoured  piecemeal  by  ants. 

This  same  Datto  Utto,  towards  the  end  of  1889,  made 
himself  so  objectionable  to  the  Datto  Abdul,  one  of  his 
neighbours,  that  the  latter  determined  to  place  himself 
and  his  people  under  Spanish  protection.  His  village 
consisted  of  eighty  houses  and  was  situated  on  the  banks 
of  Rio  Grande. 

Datto  Abdul  gave  proofs  of  engineering  skill,  for  he 
constructed  eighty  rafts  of  bamboos,  and  placing  a  house 
upon  each  with  all  its  belongings,  inhabitants  and  cattle, 
he  floated  his  whole  village  fifteen  miles  down  the  river 
and  landed  at  Tumbao,  establishing  himself  under  the 
protection  of  the  fort. 

The  Datto  Ayunan,  who  resides  in  the  same  neighbour- 
hood, also  came  over  to  the  Spaniards,  and  learned  to 
understand  and  speak  Spanish  very  fairly.  He  had  at 
least  three  thousand  followers,  and  in  the  fighting  on  the 
Rio  Grande  in  \%'^6-^'j  he  took  the  field,  supported  the 
Spanish  forces  against  the  other  dattos,  and  rendered 
important  services. 

Several  other  dattos  and  chiefs  have  submitted  to  the 
Spaniards  ;  for  instance,  the  Sultan  of  Bolinson,  who  has 
:settled  at  Lintago,  near  the  barracks  of  Maria  Christina. 
In  the  district  of  Davao  more  than  five  thousand  Moros  are 
living  peacefully  under  Spanish  rule. 

The  famous  Datto  Utto,  who  gave  so  much  trouble,  lost 
followers  and  prestige,  and  now  where  the  Moro  King 
of  Tamontaca  held  his  court  and  reigned  in  power  and 
splendour  on  the  Rio  Grande,  a  Jesuit  Orphan  Asylum, 
and  Industrial  School  flourished  [till  the  war  caused  it  to 
be  abandoned],  bringing  up  hundreds  of  children  of  both 
sexes,  mostly  liberated  slaves  of  the  Moros,  to  honest 
handicrafts  or  agricultural  labour. 

Amongst  the  Moros,  the  administration  of  justice  is  in 
the  hands  of  the  dattos  or  of  their  nominees.  Offences 
are  punished  by  death,  corporal  chastisement,  or  by  fines. 


MOROS:    MARRIAGE   CUSTOMS  371 

However,  the  customs  of  the  country  admit  of  an 
offended  person  taking  the  law  into  his  own  hand.  Thus 
he  who  surprises  his  wife  in  the  act  of  adultery  may  cut  off 
one  of  her  ears,  shave  her  head,  and  degrade  her  to  be  the 
slave  of  his  concubines. 

If  he  catches  the  co-respondent  he  may  kill  him  (if 
he  can). 

A  calumny  not  justified,  is  fined  15  dollars;  a  slight 
wound  costs  the  aggressor  5  dollars ;  a  serious  wound, 
1 5  dollars,  and  the  weapon  that  did  the  mischief ;  a  murder 
can  be  atoned  by  giving  three  to  six  slaves. 

Adultery  incurs  a  fine  of  60  dollars,  and  two  slaves  ;  or 
death,  if  the  fine  is  not  paid. 

He  who  insults  a  datto  is  condemned  to  death,  unless 
he  can  pay  15  taels  of  gold,  but  he  becomes  a  slave  for  life. 
The  datto  acting  as  judge  takes  as  his  fee  one-eighth  of  the 
fine  he  imposes. 

A  slave  is  considered  to  be  worth  from  1 5  to  30  dollars 
according  to  his  or  her  capabilities  or  appearance. 

The  dattos  impose  an  annual  tax  on  all  their  subjects 
whether  Moros  or  heathen.  It  is  called  the  Pagdatto,  and 
consists  of  a  piece  of  cloth  called  a  Jabol,  a  bolo,  and 
twenty  gantas  of  paddy  (equal  to  10  gantas  of  rice)  from 
each  married  couple.  A  ganta  equals  two-thirds  of  a 
gallon,  so  that  the  tax  in  rice  would  only  be  6  •  6  gallons, 
a  little  over  |  bushel. 

Their  language  is  a  degraded  Arabic  with  words  from 
Malay,  Chinese,  Visaya,  Tagal,  and  some  idioms  of  the 
hill-tribes. 

Very  few  of  them  can  read  or  write. 

Their  year  is  divided  into  13  lunar  months,  and  the 
:lays  of  the  week  are  as  follows  : — 

Monday.         Tuesday.         Wednesday.         Thursday. 
Sapto.  Ahat.  Isnin.  Sarasa. 

Friday.        Saturday.        Sunday. 
Araboja.         Cammis.       Diammat. 

Their  era  is  the  Hejira,  like  other  Mahometans. 

Their  marriage  customs  are  peculiar.  When  one  of 
them  takes  a  fancy  to  a  damsel,  he  sends  his  friend,  of  the 
highest  rank,  to  the  house  of  the  girl's  father,  to  solicit  her 
hand.  The  father  consults  the  girl,  and  if  she  is  favourable 
he  makes  answer  that  the  young  man  may  come  for  her. 
The  would-be  bridegroom  then  proceeds  to  the  mosque  and 

2  B  2 


372      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

calls  the  Iman,  who  goes  through  a  form  of  prayers  with 
him,  after  which  they  proceed  in  company  to  the  maiden's 
house,  followed  by  a  slave  bearing  presents,  and  from  the 
street  call  out  for  leave  to  enter.  The  father  appears  at  a 
window  and  invites  them  in,  but  when  about  to  enter,  the 
male  relations  of  the  damsel  simulate  an  attack  on  the 
visitor,  which  he  beats  off,  and  throws  them  the  presents  he 
has  brought  with  him. 

He  then  enters  with  the  Iman  and  finds  the  lady  of  his 
desires  reclining  upon  cushions,  and  presents  his  respects 
to  her.  The  priest  then  causes  her  to  rise  and,  taking  hold 
of  her  head  he  twirls  her  round  twice  to  the  right,  then 
taking  the  hand  of  the  man  he  places  it  on  the  forehead 
of  the  girl,  who  immediately  covers  her  face.  The  priest 
then  retires,  leaving  them  alone.  The  bridegroom  attempts 
to  kiss  and  embrace  the  bride,  who  defends  herself  with 
tooth  and  nail.  She  shrieks  and  runs,  and  the  bridegroom 
chases  her  round  and  round  the  room. 

Presently  the  father  appears,  and  assures  the  bride- 
groom that  he  may  take  for  granted  the  virginity  of  his 
daughter.  The  bridegroom  then  leaves  the  house  to  make 
preparations  for  the  wedding-feast,  which  begins  that  night, 
and  finishes  on  the  third  night,  when  the  bride  takes  off 
all  the  garments  she  has  worn  as  a  maid  and  dresses  in 
handsome  robes  provided  by  the  bridegroom.  At  the  end 
of  the  feast,  the  emissary  who  first  solicited  her  hand  for 
his  friend  conducts  her  to  the  house  of  the  bridegroom, 
accompanied  by  the  guests  singing  verses  allusive  to  the 
occasion,  and  cracking  jokes  more  or  less  indecent. 

Contrary  to  the  custom  in  other  countries,  it  is  easier  to 
get  divorced  than  to  get  married,  for  this  is  the  privilege  of 
the  man,  who  can  repudiate  his  wife  at  any  time. 

They  celebrate  the  baptism  of  their  children,  and  the 
circumcision  of  their  boys,  with  feasts  and  entertainments. 
They  fire  off  cannon  and  lantacas  on  the  death  of  a  datto, 
and  with  all  sorts  of  instruments  make  a  hideous  discord  in 
front  of  the  house  of  death. 

Professional  wallers  are  employed,  and  the  pandits  go 
through  many  days  of  long-winded  prayer,  for  which  they 
receive  most  ample  fees. 

They  have  regular  cemeteries,  and,  after  the  burial, 
place  on  the  grave  the  head  of  a  cock  with  a  hot  cinder 
on  the  top  of  it.  I  am  quite  unable  to  explain  what 
meaning  is  attached  to  this  custom,  but  they  are  soaked  in 


MORO     LANTACAS    AND    COAT    OF    MAIL. 


[To/acc  />.  373. 


MOROS :    THEIR  HOUSES  yji 

all  sorts  of  superstitions,  and  thoroughly  believe  in  amulets 
or  talismen,  as  do  the  Tagals  in  their  Anting-Anting. 

Owing  to  the  multitude  of  slaves  they  possess,  they 
make  considerable  plantations  of  rice,  maize,  coffee,  and 
cacao.  They  sell  the  surplus  of  this  produce  to  Chinamen 
or  Visayas  settled  in  the  coast  towns,  as  also  wax,  gum, 
resin,  jungle-produce,  tortoise-shell,  mother-of-pearl  shell, 
balate  and  cinnamon.  It  is  estimated  that  they  sell  produce 
to  the  value  of  a  million  dollars  a  year.  They  also  employ 
their  slaves  in  washing  the  sands  for  gold,  and,  according 
to  Nieto,  in  mining  for  silver  and  other  metal. 

I  have  not  seen  this  latter  statement  confirmed  by  any 
other  author. 

Their  industries  are  the  forging  of  swords,  cris,  and 
lance-heads,  casting  and  boring  their  lantacas. 

To  bore  these  long  guns  they  sink  them  in  a  pit 
ramming  in  the  earth  so  as  to  keep  the  piece  in  a  truly 
vertical  position.  They  then  bore  by  hand,  two  or  four 
men  walking  round  and  turning  the  bit  with  cross-bars. 
Some  of  these  lantacas  are  worthy  to  be  considered  perfect 
works  of  art,  and  are  highly  decorated.  I  have  seen  several 
double-barrelled.     {See  Illustration.) 

The  Moro  women  employ  their  slaves  in  spinning  and 
weaving.  They  make  excellent  stuffs  of  cotton  and  of 
abaca,  dyeing  them  various  colours  with  extracts  of  the 
woods  grown  in  the  country. 

Their  houses  are  large  and  spacious,  and  they  live 
in  a  patriarchal  manner,  master  and  mistress,  concubines, 
children,  and  slaves  with  their  children,  all  jumbled 
together.  They  possess  plenty  of  horses,  cattle,  buffaloes, 
goats  and  poultry. 

They  use  Spanish  or  Mexican  silver  coins,  but  most  of 
their  transactions  are  by  barter. 

To  wind  up  this  description  of  the  Moros  of  Mindanao, 
it  must  be  said  of  them  that  they  are  always  ready  to  fight 
for  the  liberty  of  enslaving  other  people,  and  that  nothing 
but  force  can  restrain  them  from  doing  so.  That  they  will 
not  work  themselves,  and  that  as  long  as  their  sultans, 
dattos,  and  pandits  have  a  hold  on  them,  they  will  keep 
no  engagements,  respect  no  treaties,  and  continue  to  be  in 
the  future,  as  they  have  always  been  in  the  past,  a  terror 
and  a  curse  to  all  their  neighbours. 


374      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

THE   CHINESE   IN    MINDANAO. 
Tagahmias  (24). 

These  people  live  in  the  very  centre  of  Mindanao  on  the 
high  peaks  of  the  cordillera.  If  a  straight  line  be  drawn 
on  the  map  from  Nasipit,  on  the  Bay  of  Butuan,  to  Glan,  on 
the  Gulf  of  Sarangani,  it  will  intersect  their  habitat  which 
may  extend  from  about  7^  30'  to  8"  N.  lat.  I  can  learn 
nothing  about  their  manners  and  customs.  They  are 
reputed  to  be  ferocious. 

The  Chinese  in  Mindanao. 

The  Chinese  in  Mindanao  are  almost  entirely  settled  in 
the  coast  towns,  and  are  occupied  in  trade.  They  do  not 
engage  in  agriculture,  but  keep  stores  and  sell  to  the 
civilised  natives  and  to  the  hill-men. 

They  understand  that  they  need  protection,  and  are 
equally  ready  to  make  a  present  to  the  judge,  to  subscribe 
for  a  gilded  altar  for  the  church,  or  to  render  service  to  the 
governor,  in  order  to  be  on  good  terms  with  the  court,  the 
priest,  and  the  military. 

Very  few  Chinese  women  come  over,  therefore  the  men 
have  native  wives  or  concubines,  and  are  begetting  Chinese 
half-castes  on  an  extensive  scale. 

They  are  not  averse  to  a  little  slave-dealing,  and  will 
casually  buy  a  boy  or  girl  from  slave-hunters,  or  will  order 
such  a  slave  as  they  require  from  the  slave-hunters,  who 
then  proceed  to  execute  the  order,  which  probably  involves 
the  sacrifice  of  several  lives. 

Thus  they  will  order  a  smart  boy,  or  a  pretty  girl,  of 
fifteen  or  sixteen,  and  so  forth. 

Father  Barrado,  writing  from  Cotta-Bato,  June  3rd,  1890, 


THE   CHINESE  IN  MINDANAO  375 

relates  that  a  boy  of  eight  years  of  age  was  purchased  by  a 
Chinaman  for  thirty  dollars. 

As  soon  as  his  master  had  brought  him  to  the  house,  he 
fastened  the  door,  and  being  assisted  by  four  other  China- 
men, tied  the  boy's  hands  and  feet,  and  gagged  him. 

The  four  assistants  then  laid  him  out  at  full  length  on 
the  ground,  face  downwards,  and  held  him  firmly,  whilst 
his  master  took  a  red-hot  marking-iron  from  the  fire,  and 
branded  him  on  both  thighs,  just  as  if  he  was  marking  a 
horse  or  a  cow. 

Luckily,  the  boy  escaped  from  the  house,  and  found 
refuge  with  Father  Barrado,  who  took  charge  of  him,  and 
administered  a  severe  reprimand  to  the  brutal  Chinaman. 

The  Chinamen  abominably  cheat  all  those  who  are 
unable  to  protect  themselves.  Their  business  is  based 
upon  false  weights  and  measures,  and  on  adulteration.  In 
the  end,  they  spoil  every  business  they  enter  upon,  just  as 
they  have  done  the  tea  trade  in  their  own  country,  and  the 
tobacco  and  indigo  trade  in  the  Philippines. 

They  require  to  be  closely  looked  after,  and  should  be 
made  to  pay  special  taxes,  which  they  can  well  afford. 

Some  of  the  Chinese  become  converts,  not  that  their 
mean  and  sordid  souls  are  in  any  degree  susceptible  to  the 
influence  of  the  Christian  religion,  but  in  order  to  obtain 
material  advantages. 

They  hope  to  be  favoured  in  business,  and  to  be  able  to 
get  a  Christian  wife,  which  otherwise  might  not  be  easy  ;  for 
although  a  Visayas  woman  does  not  disdain  a  Chinaman, 
she  would  not  care  to  marry  a  heathen. 

In  any  case,  the  Chinaman  most  likely  remains  a 
heathen  at  heart,  and  if  he  returns  to  China  he  becomes  a 
renegade. 


376      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE   POLITICAL   CONDITION   OF   MINDANAO,    1 899. 

Relapse  into  savagery — Moros  the  great  danger — Visayas  the  main- 
stay— Confederation  of  Lake  Lanao — Recall  of  the  Missionaries — 
Murder  and  pillage  in  Davao — Eastern  Mindanao — Western 
Mindanao  —  The  three  courses  —  Orphanage  of  Tamontaca  — 
Fugitive  slaves  —  Polygamy  an  impediment  to  conversion  — 
Labours  of  the  Jesuits — American  Roman  Catholics  should  send 
them  help. 

The  present  condition  of  the  island  is  most  lamentable. 
Nothing  could  be  more  dreadful  ;  robbery,  outrage  and 
murder  are  rampant.  Every  evil  passion  is  let  loose,  and 
the  labour  of  years  has  been  lost.  Mindanao,  which  pro- 
mised so  well,  has  relapsed  into  savagery,  as  the  direct 
consequence  of  the  Spanish-American  war,  and  the  cession 
of  the  Archipelago  to  the  United  States. 

It  should  be  understood  that  Spain,  far  from  drawing 
any  profit  from  Mindanao,  has,  on  the  contrary,  expended 
annually  considerable  sums,  derived  from  the  revenues  of 
Luzon  and  Visayas,  in  maintaining  a  squadron  of  gunboats 
to  police  the  seas,  and  keep  down  piracy,  in  building  and 
garrisoning  forts  to  suppress  the  slave-trade,  and  in  assisting 
the  missionaries  to  attract  the  heathen,  by  providing  them 
with  seeds,  implements  of  husbandry,  and  with  clothing, 
also  in  giving  them  fire-arms  and  ammunition  to  protect 
themselves  from  the  Moros. 

Annuities  were  paid  to  friendly  Moro  dattos  as  rewards 
for  services  rendered,  or  as  compensation  for  the  cession  of 
some  of  their  rights. 

The  Moros  have  always  been  the  great  danger  to  the 
peace  of  the  island,  as  the  Visayas  have  always  been  the 
mainstay  of  Spanish  authority. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  war  with  America,  the  Moros 
would  have  been,  by  this  time,  completely  subdued. 

Even  as  it  was,  half  the  island  was  practically  free  from 


Seal  of  the  Mora  flower 

Lake  IjAnao 

accarJina  lo  Jvido 


3AY 


iTo  Jaci  p.  377. 


MINDANAO :    DANGERS  377 

danger  from  them.  If  you  draw  a  line  on  the  map  from 
Cagayan  de  Misamis  to  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  Sarangani, 
it  will  roughly  divide  the  island  into  halves.  The  Moros 
who  lived  to  the  eastward  of  this  line  were  pacific,  and 
some  thousands  of  them  had  been  baptized,  and  had  given 
up  polygamy  and  slave-trading. 

Had  they  risen  in  arms — which  was  not  at  all  likely — 
they  could  have  been  put  down  by  the  Visayas  militia 
under  the  local  authorities. 

To  the  west  of  this  line,  until  quite  lately,  the  Spanish 
garrisons  dotted  along  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande  from 
Polloc  and  Cotta-bato  to  Piquit  and  Pinto,  dominated  the 
Moro  dattos  of  that  region,  and  nearly  joined  hands  with 
the  forts  and  garrisons  on  the  rivers  running  into  the  Bay 
of  Macajalar. 

The  only  remaining  seat  of  the  Moro  power  was  the 
country  around  Lake  Lanao,  where  the  dattos  had  formed 
the  Illana  confederation  to  resist  the  advances  of  the 
Christians. 

This  lake  has  never  been  surveyed,  and  no  two  maps 
agree  on  its  size,  shape  or  position.  It  is,  however,  known 
to  be  very  different  from  the  other  large  lakes  in  Mindanao, 
which  are  shallow,  whilst  this,  on  the  contrary,  is  deep  ;  in 
some  places,  three  or  four  fathoms  will  be  found  close  in 
shore.     At  Lugud  and  Tugana  the  banks  are  steep. 

There  are  five  or  six  islands  in  it  ;  the  largest  is  called 
Nuza.  It  is  high  and  flat-topped,  situated  near  the  middle 
of  the  lake,  and  on  it  are  five  hundred  houses. 

The  length  of  the  lake  may  be  about  14  miles,  and  its 
greatest  breadth  about  the  same. 

There  is  a  road  all  round  it,  reported  to  be  in  good 
condition  for  vehicles,  except  at  Taraca,  where  the  ground 
is  soft.  This  road  may  be  about  fifty  miles  long,  and  is 
said  to  have  houses  on  both  sides  of  it  nearly  all  the  way. 
The  accompanying  sketch,  from  D.  Jose  Nietos'  map,  shows 
forty-three  towns  clustered  round  the  lake,  but  in  reality  it 
is  only  one  vast  town,  and  the  names  are  those  of  districts 
or  parishes,  each  under  the  rule  of  a  datto.  The  Sultan 
lives  at  Taraca. 

The  land  about  the  lake  is  very  fertile,  and  is  cultivated 
by  the  slaves. 

The  produce  is  of  excellent  quality,  and  the  Moros  not 
only  supply  themselves,  but  export  annually  about  1000 
tons  of  rice,  and  900  tons  of  coffee. 


378      THE   INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  River  Agus,  which  drains  the  lake,  is  not  navi- 
gable. 

Although  it  has  a  great  body  of  water,  the  impetuosity 
of  the  current,  rushing  amongst  rocks,  forms  dangerous 
rapids. 

The  surface  of  the  lake  must  be  considerably  above  the 
sea-level. 

The  approaches  to  the  northern  end  of  the  lake  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  were  defended  by  many  cottas,  or 
forts.  Most  of  those  were  taken  and  destroyed  by  the 
Spanish  forces  in  1894-96,  but  they  are  now  probably 
being  rebuilt. 

Half-way  between  the  lake  and  the  Bay  of  Iligan  stands 
Fort  Weyler,  which  had  a  strong  garrison  of  infantry, 
cavalry,  artillery  and  engineers,  and  was  impregnable  to 
any  Moro  attack.  To  the  south  of  the  lake,  on  the  shores 
of  Illana  Bay,  stand  Forts  Corcuera  and  Baras,  whilst  to 
the  westward,  between  Illana  Bay  and  Panguil  Bay,  lie 
four  forts  across  the  narrow  isthmus  called  Alfonso  XIII., 
Infanta  Isabel,  Santas  Paz,  and  Eulalia  and  Maria  Cristina. 

These,  with  the  trocha,  or  military  road  of  Tucuran, 
cut  off  the  Illano  Moros  from  communication  with  their 
brethren  of  Sibuguey,  or  with  their  former  victims,  the 
Subanos. 

Further  to  the  northward.  Fort  Almonte  kept  watch 
over  the  quondam  pirates  of  the  Liangan  River. 

These  forts  and  posts  were  garrisoned  by  nearly  3000 
regular  troops,  all  natives,  except  the  artillery  {see  List  of 
Posts  in  Mindanao,  p.  386),  and  in  addition  a  field  force  of 
several  thousand  men,  also  of  the  regular  army,  was  en- 
camped at  Ulama,  Pantar,  and  other  places  to  the  north 
of  the  lake,  and  three  small  steam-vessels  had  been  trans- 
ported overland  in  sections,  and  launched  upon  the  lake. 

Thus  everything  was  ready  for  the  final  blow,  for  the 
Moros  were  completely  hemmed  in  by  Spanish  garrisons 
or  Jesuit  reducciones ;  but  the  breaking  out  of  the  Tagal 
insurrection,  in  1896,  obliged  General  Blanco  to  withdraw, 
not  only  the  field  army,  but  to  reduce  the  garrisons  in 
order  to  hold  Manila  and  Cavite  until  the  Peninsular  troops 
could  arrive. 

Later  on,  the  war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain, 
and  the  immediate  destruction  of  the  Spanish  naval  forces 
by  the  American  squadron,  caused  the  Spanish  authorities 
to  sink  the  flotilla  in  the  lake,  to  abandon  all  the  posts  on 


MINDANAO:    PILLAGE   OF  DAVAO  2>79 

the  north  coast  of  Mindanao,  the  trocha  of  Tucuran,  and  all 
the  forts  on  the  Rio  Grande,  and  to  concentrate  their  whole 
force  at  Zamboanga,  leaving  the  recently-converted  heathen 
and  the  missionaries  to  defend  themselves  against  the  Moros 
as  best  they  could. 

The  missionaries  of  the  district  of  Cotta-bato  have 
taken  refuge  in  Zamboanga,  fearing  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  Moros,  who  would  exact  a  heavy  ransom  for  their 
delivery.  As  for  the  hundreds  of  liberated  slave  children, 
both  girls  and  boys,  who  were  gathered  together  under  the 
protection  of  the  missionaries  at  the  asylum  of  Tamontaca, 
they  are  doubtless  once  more  in  the  hands  of  the  cruel 
Moros  of  Lake  Lanao  ;  some,  perhaps,  have  been  sold  by 
these  wretches  to  the  heathen  tribes  for  twenty  or  thirty 
dollars  each,  to  be  offered  up  as  sacrifices  to  Tag-busan, 
the  god  of  war  of  the  Manobos,  or  to  Dewata,  the  san- 
guinary house-god  of  the  Guiangas, 

The  missionaries  of  the  north  of  Mindanao  were  recalled 
by  the  Father  Superior  to  Manila  ;  but  in  some  of  the 
towns  the  native  converts  and  Visayas  have  detained  them 
by  force,  and  keep  a  watch  on  them  to  prevent  their  escape. 
They  treat  them  well,  and  allow  them  to  exercise  their 
ministry. 

As  there  are  no  Moros  in  that  part  of  the  island,  the 
missionaries  are  not  in  danger,  for  they  are  much  beloved 
by  their  converts,  whose  only  desire  is  to  keep  them 
amongst  them. 

The  district  of  Davao  has  been,  like  other  localities, 
the  scene  of  murder  and  pillage  since  the  withdrawal  of 
the  Spanish  authorities.  At  midnight  of  Februaiy  6th,  the 
bad  characters  and  outlaws  of  the  chief  town,  under  the 
leadership  of  Domingo  Fernandez,  a  native  of  Zamboanga, 
and  formerly  inteq^reter  and  writer  in  the  office  of  the 
Governor  of  Davao,  rose  in  arms,  and  attacked  the  house  of 
Don  Bonifacio  Quidato,  sub-lieutenant  of  the  local  militia. 
They  cut  his  throat,  and  bayoneted  his  wife  as  she  lay  in 
her  bed.  They  then  attacked  all  the  well-to-do  people  of 
the  place,  committing  many  barbarous  acts,  and  plundering 
their  houses. 

Most  of  the  Spanish  residents  escaped  from  the  town 
in  a  lorcha,  and,  after  a  terrible  voyage  of  sixteen  days, 
suffering  from  hunger,  and  undergoing  many  severe 
privations,  arrived  in  Zamboanga  more  dead  than  alive. 
The   veteran   missionary,    Father   Urios,  and   three   other 


38o      THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

Spaniards,  could  not  escape,  and  remained  in  the  power  of 
the  bandits. 

This  is  only  one  instance  of  what  is  going  on  all  over 
the  island.  In  the  words  of  one  who  knows  the  country 
well,  Mindanao  has  become  a  seething  hell,  and  is  in  a 
condition  more  dreadful  than  ever  before  in  historic  times. 

But  amongst  these  various  tribes,  Christian  or  heathen, 
there  is  said  to  be  one  subject,  and  one  only,  upon  which 
they  all  agree.  They  have  combined  to  resist  by  force  the 
American  invasion.  If  it  is  attempted  to  conquer  them  by 
force  of  arms,  it  will  be  a  difficult,  a  tedious,  and  a  costly 
operation — a  campaign  far  more  sickly  than  that  now  pro- 
ceeding in  the  arable  lands  around  Manila,  where  the 
ground  is  hard,  the  country  very  level,  and  where  field-guns 
can  be  taken  anywhere  during  the  dry  season.  It  is  my 
belief  that,  if  skilfully  handled,  half  the  island — the  eastern 
half — could  be  pacified  without  war,  although,  no  doubt, 
gangs  of  bandits  would  have  to  be  destroyed  ;  but  this 
could  be  done  by  the  Visayas  and  the  converts,  organised 
as  a  militia,  and  paid  whilst  on  active  service. 

But  this  pacification  requires  the  assistance  of  the 
missionaries.  They  are  not  likely  to  give  that  assistance 
unless  terms  are  made  with  them,  and  one  of  those  terms 
will  surely  be  that  they  shall  be  allowed  to  continue  their 
beneficent  work  unhindered  and  unvexed. 

So  the  United  States  Government  is  confronted  with  a 
dilemma.  Either  they  must  shoot  down  the  new  Christians, 
to  introduce  and  enforce  freedom  of  worship  which  the 
converts  do  not  want,  and  cannot  understand,  or  they  must 
negotiate  with  the  Jesuits  for  them  to  use  their  influence  to 
pacify  the  island,  and  thus  subject  themselves  to  the  abuse 
and  the  outcry  such  a  proceeding  will  bring  upon  them 
from  the  divines  and  missionaries  of  Protestant  sects,  and 
from  their  political  opponents. 

As  for  the  western  half  of  the  island,  a  part  may  be 
pacified  with  the  help  of  the  missionaries,  but  military 
operations  on  a  considerable  scale  will  be  required  there 
sooner  or  later  against  the  Moros  of  Lake  Lanao. 

This  would  be  a  holy  war,  a  war  of  humanity,  and  I 
would  say  to  the  Americans  :  Look  back  on  the  deeds  of 
your  forefathers,  on  the  days  when  your  infant  navy  covered 
itself  with  imperishable  glory,  when  it  curbed  the  insolence 
of  the  Bashaw  of  Tripoli,  the  Bey  of  Tunis,  and  the  Dey  of 
Algiers,  teaching  all  Europe  how  to  deal  with  Mediterranean 


MINDANAO:    MILITARY  OPERATIONS  381 

pirates.  Inspire  yourselves  with  the  Spirit  of  Decatur  and 
his  hero-comrades  whose  gallant  deeds  at  Tripoli  earned 
Nelson's  praise  as  being  "  the  most  bold  and  daring  act  of 
the  age,"  and  do  not  hesitate  to  break  up  this  last  com- 
munity of  ex-pirates  and  murderous  slave-hunters. 

The  Moros  of  Lake  Lanao  could  be  simultaneously 
attacked  from  north  and  south.  In  1894,  the  Spaniards 
attacked  by  the  north,  and  transported  all  their  artillery 
and  stores  and  their  small  steamers  built  in  sections,  by 
paths  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  River  Agus.  Some  of  the 
Moros  remained  neutral  in  that  campaign.  Such  were  the 
Dattos  of  Lumbayangin  and  Guimba.  Their  cottas  were 
spared.  The  distance  in  a  straight  line  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Agus  near  Iligan  to  the  lake  is  fifteen  miles. 

The  path  winds  a  good  deal,  and  the  country  is  hilly, 
wooded  on  the  heights,  and  intersected  by  streams.  There 
is  a  path  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Agus,  the  country  there 
is  more  open,  and  a  large  part  of  it  is  under  cultivation.  A 
good  outfit  of  mountain-guns  would  be  required  on  this 
northern  expedition. 

The  other  attack  could  be  made  from  the  south,  the 
forces  landing  at  Fort  Baras,  or  at  Lalabuan.  From  either 
of  these  places  there  is  what  in  the  Philippines  is  called  a 
road  to  Ganasi  at  the  southern  end  of  the  lake.  The 
distance  in  a  straight  line  is  about  twenty  miles.  The  two 
roads  join  at  about  half  way,  just  before  coming  to  the 
cotta  of  Kurandangan  in  the  Sultanate  of  Pualas. 

This  road  is  reported  to  have  no  steep  gradients,  no 
boggy  parts,  and  no  unfordable  streams.  The  country  is 
fairly  open,  as  there  is  no  thick  forest,  but  only  scrub  and 
cogon,  or  elephant  grass.  From  a  description  given  by  a 
Tagal  who  traversed  this  road,  it  appears  to  be  practicable 
for  field  artillery.  The  combined  attack,  north  and  south, 
could  be  supported  by  an  advance  from  the  eastward  of 
irregular  forces  of  the  Monteses  from  the  reducciones  of 
the  Tagoloan,  Sawaga  and  Malupati  Rivers,  if  they  were 
supplied  with  arms  and  ammunition  for  this  purpose. 

It  seems  to  me  that  we  have  here  the  usual  three 
courses  ;  the  fourth,  to  do  nothing,  and  allow  Moro  and 
Christian  to  fight  it  out,  would  be  unworthy  of  the  United 
States,  or  of  any  civilized  government. 

1.  Put  a  stop  to  slave-hunting  and  murdering  by  a 
military  expedition  against  the  Moro  Dattos. 

2.  Maintain  garrisons  to  keep  the  peace  and  protect  the 


382      THE   INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

missionaries  and  their  converts  and  trust  to  their  efforts  to 
gradually  convert  the  Moros. 

3.  Arm  all  the  Christian  towns  round  about  the  Moros 
and  organise  thei  men  as  local  militia,  so  that  they  can 
protect  themselves  against  Moro  aggression. 

All  these  courses  are  expensive,  the  second  less  expensive 
than  the  first,  the  third  less  expensive  than  the  second. 

However,  if  either  the  second  or  third  course  is  adopted, 
it  is  very  probable  that  before  long  the  first  course  would 
become  imperative,  for  the  Moros  are  faithless  and  treacher- 
ous in  the  extreme,  and  no  treaty  unsupported  by  bayonets 
has  the  least  chance  of  being  respected. 

To  adopt  the  second  or  third  course,  then,  only  amounts 
to  putting  off  the  evil  day. 

The  missionaries  can  be  of  the  greatest  service  in 
pacifiying  the  Moros  whenever  the  power  of  the  dattos  is 
broken  and  when  slavery  can  be  put  an  end  to.  The  object 
of  the  expedition  I  have  spoken  of  should  not  be  to  exter- 
minate the  Moros,  but  merely  to  break  the  power  of  the 
dattos  and  pandits,  and  to  free  their  followers  and  slaves 
from  their  yoke. 

It  is  generally  taken  for  granted  that  a  Moro  cannot  be 
converted,  but  this  is  not  the  case  in  Mindanao.  Father 
Jaoquin  Sancho,  S.J.,  informs  me  that  when  the  political 
power  of  the  dattos  has  been  destroyed,  their  followers 
have  been  found  ready  to  listen  to  the  teachings  of  the 
missionaries  and  beginning  by  sending  their  children  to 
school,  then  perhaps  sanctioning  the  marriage  of  their 
daughters  with  Christians,  they  have  finally  cast  in  their 
lot  with  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  not  in  scores,  nor 
hundreds,  but  by  thousands.  He  says  that  his  colleagues 
baptized  in  one  year  after  1892,  in  the  district  of  Davao 
alone,  more  than  three  thousand  Mahometan  Moros.  He 
adds  that  their  religious  receptivity  is  much  greater  than 
that  of  the  heathen  tribes,  that  once  baptized  they  remain 
fervent  Christians,  whilst  the  Mandayas,  Manobos,  Monteses 
and  other  heathen  are  only  too  apt,  with  or  without  reason, 
to  slip  away  to  the  forests  and  mountains  and  resume 
their  nomadic  life,  their  heathen  orgies,  and  human 
sacrifices. 

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  success  of  the  mission- 
aries on  the  Rio  Grande  and  of  their  industrial  and 
agricultural  orphanage  at  Tamontacca,  where  they  were 
bringing  up  hundreds  of  children  of  both   sexes,  mostly 


MINDANAO  :    A    NOBLE  INSTITUTION  383 

liberated  slaves  of  the  Moros,  to  be  useful  members  of 
society.  This  noble  institution  occupied  the  very  spot 
where  the  former  Moro  Sultan  of  Tamontacca  held  his 
court. 

Two  or  three  more  institutions  like  this,  established  at 
points  a  few  miles  distant  from  Lake  Lanao,  and  protected 
from  aggression  on  the  part  of  the  Moro,  would  gradually 
undermine  the  power  of  the  Dattos  by  affording  an  asylum 
to  all  fugitive  slaves  attempting  to  escape  from  cruelties  of 
their  masters. 

For  years  past  the  Spaniards  have  protected  all  slaves 
who  have  fled  to  them  from  their  masters.  The  Datto  Utto 
applied  to  General  Weyler  to  restore  to  him  forty-eight 
slaves  who  had  taken  refuge  at  a  Spanish  fort  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  but  Weyler  refused,  reminding  the  datto  that  he 
had  signed  an  engagement  to  keep  no  slaves,  but  only  free 
labourers,  who  had  the  right  to  fix  their  residence  where 
they  pleased. 

I  assume  that  no  slaves  who  seek  the  shelter  of  the 
Stars  and  Stripes  will  ever  be  sent  back  again  into 
bondage. 

As  a  guide  to  the  strength  of  the  expedition  which  will 
sooner  or  later  have  to  be  sent  against  the  Moros  of  Lake 
Lanao,  I  may  say  that  the  total  war  strength  of  the  Moros 
of  Mindanao  was  estimated  in  1894  at  19,000  fighting-men, 
35  guns,  1896  Lantacas  and  2167  muskets  or  rifles.  {See 
list,  p.  387). 

They  have  probably  since  then  obtained  a  large  supply 
of  rifles  and  ammunition.  This  traffic  in  arms  should  be  at 
once  stopped. 

Swords  and  spears  they  have  in  abundance. 

But  of  these  19,000  men  many  have  submitted  to  the 
Spanish  rule,  or  have  become  allies  of  the  Spaniards,  like 
the  Datto  Ayunan,  the  Datto  Abdul,  the  Sultan  of  Bolinson 
and  many  others. 

Probably  10,000  men  would  be  the  very  utmost  that  the 
Moros  of  Lake  Lanao  could  bring  on  the  field,  and  only  a 
part  of  these  would  have  fire-arms,  which  they  could  have 
little  skill  in  handling. 

They  would  on  no  account  give  battle  in  the  open,  but 
would  fight  in  the  bush,  and  desperately  defend  their 
cottas.  They  would  not  concentrate  their  forces,  for  want 
of  transport  for  their  food  supply  ;  besides,  the  nature  of 
the  country  would  prevent  this. 


384     THE  INHABITANTS   OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


They  could  not  stop  a  flotilla  from  being  launched  on 
the  lake  and  from  capturing  the  islands  as  a  base  of 
operations. 

The  flotilla  would  be  operating  on  inside  lines  of 
communication.  It  could  threaten  one  side  of  the  lake, 
and  in  less  than  two  hours  be  landing  troops  on  the 
opposite  side. 

In  fact,  with  a  moderate  force,  their  subjugation  would 
not  be  so  difficult  as  has  often  been  supposed. 

It  should  be  made  clear  to  the  Sacopes  and  to  the 
slaves  that  the  war  is  waged  against  the  Sultans  and 
Dattos,  that  the  people  would  have  their  lives  and  property 
and  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion  guaranteed  to  them, 
and  that  the  adults  should  be  exempt  from  taxation  and 
conscription  for  the  rest  of  their  lives  or  for  a  term  of  years. 
Then  the  resistance  would  soon  slacken,  and  the  sultans 
and  dattos  might  be  captured.  Those  who  would  not 
conform  to  the  new  condition  of  things  might  be  allowed 
to  emigrate  to  Borneo  or  elsewhere,  but  their  subjects  and 
slaves  should  by  no  means  be  allowed  to  go  with  them, 
for  they  will  soon  become  useful  agriculturists  and  good 
Christians,  and  Mindanao  cannot  spare  them. 

The  question  of  slavery,  more  especially  of  slave- 
concubines,  will  require  delicate  handling,  but  by  adopting 
a  conciliatory  but  firm  policy,  this  curse  may  gradually  be 
got  rid  of  without  causing  disturbance  or  bloodshed.  Cranks 
and  faddists  should  not  be  allowed  to  handle  this  question, 
but  it  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  some  one  well 
versed  in  human  nature,  and  a  true  friend  of  freedom. 

The  wise  policy  of  the  British  authorities  in  Zanzibar 
and  Pemba  is  well  worthy  of  imitation. 

As  happens  in  Africa,  the  greatest  impediment  to  the 
conversion  of  the  heathen  polygamist  is  the  obligation  to 
renounce  all  his  wives  but  one.  This  is  a  sore  trial,  more 
especially  when  they  have  paid  a  good  price  for  them,  or  if 
they  are  good  cooks. 

Father  Urios  having  persuaded  a  Manobo,  who  wished 
to  be  baptized,  to  do  this,  the  man  said  to  him  :  "  Of  my 
two  wives  I  have  decided  to  keep  the  elder,  but  I  make  a 
great  sacrifice  in  separating  from  the  other,  for  I  had  so 
much  trouble  to  obtain  her.  Her  father  would  only  give 
her  to  me  in  exchange  for  fifteen  slaves.  As  I  did  not 
possess  them,  I  was  obliged  to  take  the  field  against  the 
timid  tribes  in  an  unknown  country,  and  to  capture  these 


MINDANAO;    PIOUS   OFFERINGS  385 


fifteen  slaves.  I  was  obliged  to  fight  often,  and  to  kill  more 
than  thirty  men." 

The  illustration  represents  a  scene  from  the  labours  of 
Father  Gisbert  amongst  the  Bagobos,  He  is  exhorting  a 
blood-stained  old  datto  and  his  wives  and  followers  to 
abandon  their  human  sacrifices,  exhibiting  to  them  the 
image  of  the  crucified  Redeemer,  whose  followers  he  urges 
them  to  become. 

As  regards  the  maintenance  of  the  missions,  I  do  not 
for  one  moment  doubt  that  the  liberality  of  the  Roman 
Catholics  of  the  United  States  is  quite  equal  to  the  needs 
of  the  pioneers  of  civilisation,  who  have  laboured  with  such 
remarkable  success. 

Altogether  the  Jesuits  administered  the  spiritual,  and 
some  of  the  temporal  affairs  of  200,000  Christians  in 
Mindanao. 

They  educated  the  young,  taught  them  handicrafts, 
attended  to  the  sick,  consoled  the  afflicted,  reconciled  those 
at  variance,  explored  the  country,  encouraged  agriculture, 
built  churches,  laid  out  roads,  and  assisted  the  Administra- 
tion. Finally,  when  bands  of  slave-hunting,  murdering 
Moros  swept  down  like  wolves  on  their  flocks,  they  placed 
themselves  at  the  head  of  their  ill-armed  parishioners  and 
led  them  into  battle  against  a  ferocious  enemy  who  gives 
no  quarter,  with  the  calmness  of  men  who,  long  before,  had 
devoted  their  lives  to  the  Master's  cause,  to  whom  nothing 
in  this  world  is  of  any  consequence  except  the  advancement 
of  the  Faith  and  the  performance  of  duty. 

They  received  very  meagre  monetary  assistance  from 
the  Spanish  Government,  and  had  to  depend  greatly  upon 
the  pious  offerings  of  the  devout  in  Barcelona  and  in 
Madrid.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  these  subscriptions  will 
now  fall  off  as  Spain  has  lost  the  islands  ;  if  so,  it  is  all  the 
more  incumbent  upon  the  Roman  Catholics  of  America  to 
find  the  means  of  continuing  the  good  work. 

I  feel  sure  that  this  will  be  so — Christian  charity  will 
not  fail,  and  the  missions  will  be  maintained. 

For  their  devotion  and  zeal,  I  beg  to  offer  the  Jesuit 
missionaries  my  profound  respect  and  my  earnest  wishes 
for  their  welfare  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

To  my  mind,  they  realise  very  closely  the  ideal  of  what 
a  Christian  missionary  should  be.  Although  a  Protestant 
born  and  bred,  I  see  in  that  no  reason  to  close  my  eyes  to 
their  obvious  merit,  nor  to  seek  to  be-little  the  great  good 


386      THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


they  have  done  in  Mindanao.  Far  from  doing  so,  I  wish 
to  state  my  conviction  that  the  easiest,  the  best,  and  the 
most  humane  way  of  pacif}'ing  Mindanao  is  by  utih'sing  the 
powerful  influence  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  with  their 
flocks,  and  this  before  it  is  too  late,  before  the  populations 
have  had  time  to  completely  forget  the  Christian  teaching, 
and  to  entirely  relapse  into  barbarism. 


List  of  Posts  in  Mindanao  Garrisoned  by  Detachments  of 
THE  Native  Army  with  Spanish  Officers  in  1894. 


Field 
Officers. 

Officers. 

Men. 

\st  District. 

San  Ramon 

I 

12 

Infantry. 

Santa  Maria 

.  , 

I 

34 

yi 

Margos-sa-tubig   . 

•• 

2 

6q 

ind  District. 

Fort  Weyler,  Mumungan 

I 

7 

321 

Infantry. 

,,        .         .         . 

I 

18 

Artillery. 

>i        • 

2 

112 

Engineers, 

»»        • 

I 

3 

30 
158 

Cavalry. 
Disciplinary  Battn, 

Iligan . 

I 

30 

Tercio  Civil. 

Almonte 

2 

58 

Infantry. 

»> 

8 

Artillery. 

>>             • 

I 

20 

Disciplinary  Battn. 

Tangok,  Alfonso  XIII. 

I 

20 

Infantry, 

Balatacan,  Infanta  Isabel 

I 

20 

>y 

Trocha  de  Tucuran,  Sta. 

Pax  and  Sta.  Eulalia 

3 

ISO 

yy 

Maria  Cristina . 

Dapitan. 

Sundangan  . 

r 

32 

Infantry. 

Parang- parang 

I 

3 

500 

>> 

)y 

I 

12 

Artillery. 

y, 

2 

60 

Disciplinary  Eattn. 

.  , 

3 

60 

Engineers. 

Matabang    . 

•• 

3 

200 
10 

Infantry. 
Artillery. 

Baras . 

3 

200 

Infantry. 

»i     • 

•• 

10 

Artillery. 

Sarangani. 

Glan  .... 

2 

45 

Infantry. 

Makra 

I 

32 

>> 

Balut  .... 

.. 

I 

20 

ly 

Tumanao     . 

\  Sergt./ 

15 

yy 

Carried  for 

ward  . . 

2 

48 

2247 

[  To  Jluc  p.   3S7. 
DOUBLE-BARRELLED    LANTACA   OF  ARTISTIC    DESIGN    AND    MORO    ARMS. 


MINDANAO :    NATIVE  ARMY 


387 


List  of  Posts  in  Mindanao — continued. 


Field 
Officers. 

Officers. 

Men. 

Brought  forward . . 

2 

48 

2247 

5M  District. 

t 

Cottabato    . 

••1        3 

100 

Infantry. 

>>            ... 

••        \,       '      ^ 

12 

Artillery. 

Libungan    . 

I     \ 

•        I  Sergt./ 

12 

Infantry. 

Tamontaca . 

I 

20 

,, 

Taviran 

I 

22 

»» 

Tumbao 

I 

60 

Kudaranga  , 

I 

20 

Reina  Regente 

3 

100 

,, 

Pikit  .... 

I 

1 

60 

6 

Artillery. 

Pinto  .... 

•• 

I 

60 
6 

Infantry. 
Artillery. 

Coast. 

/       .     \ 

Pollok 

jl  Sergt.  J 

II 

Infantry. 

Panay 

II 

5t 

Lebak 

I 

II 

1» 

2 

65 

2758 

This  number  is  exclusive  of  the  garrisons  of  Zamoanga  and  Davao. 
Basilan         ....         2  officers,  50  men. 


Estimate  of  the  Moro  Forces  in  Mindanao  in  the  Year  1894. 


District. 

Fighting- 
men. 

Guns. 

Lantacas. 

Rifles. 

Tucuran         ..... 

Parang-parang        .... 

Malabang      ..... 

Baras   ...... 

Lake  Lanao  and  surrounding  district 

1,000 
2,500 
3-500 
2,000 
10,000 

2 
2 

I 

4 
26 

54 
29 

342 

19 

1,452 

162 
117 
265 

23 
1,600 

19,000 

35 

1,896 

2,167 

The  fighting-men  of  the  River  Pulangui,  and  the  Rio  Grande  comprised 
■within  the  5th  District  are  not  included  in  this  list,  as  many  of  them  have 
submitted  to  the  Spaniards,  and  there  appears  little  to  fear  from  them.  Only 
those  who  are  quite  independent  and  war-like,  and  who  may  be  considered 
dangerous  have  been  set  down. 

2   C    2 


388      THE  INHABITANTS   OF   THE  PHILIPPINES 

Population  of  Mindanao  in  1894. 
As  given  by  Josi  Nieto  Aguilar. 


Districts. 

Area  in 
Hectares. 

Christians. 

Population. 

Total. 

Moros. 

Heathen. 

*  Zamboanga 
t  Misamis  (Dapitan  and"! 
Camiguin  Is.)          ./ 
X  Surigao     . 

Bislig 
§  Davao 

Cotta-bato 

2,984,696 

1,098,000 

1,070,190 
441,291 

1,044,333 
2,829,379 

17,000 

116,000 

68,000 

21,076 

1,500 

4,000 

8,000 

100,000 

8,000 

8o,ooo|| 

90,000 

20,000 

12,000 
10,000 
17,300 

I20,000l| 

115,000 

236,000 

88,000 

31,076 

18,800 

204,000 

227,576 

196,000 

269,300    692,876 

*  The  territory  of  Sibuguey  is  almost  unexplored. 

\  The  principal  industry  of  Christians  or  Moros,  is  washing  the  sands  and  alluvial  soils 
for  gold,  which  is  found  in  abundance.     Agriculture  is  progressing. 

I  The  principal  industry  is  washing  the  sands  and  mining  for  gold. 

9  From  Jesuit  records  the  Christian  population  of  Davao  was  12,000  in  1896.  This  number 
iincluded  over  3000  converted  Moros.  There  were  also  some  2000  Moros  residing  there.  The 
Jesuits  residing  on  the  spot  must  know  best. 

II  Nieto  gives  the  total  as  200,000.     I  have  divided  them  as  above. 


APPENDIX. 


Some  of  the  Combats,  Massacres  and  Rebellions,  Disputes 
AND  Calamities  of  the  Philippine  Islands. 

1 52 1.  Magellan  and  several  of  his  followers  killed  in  action  by  the 
natives  of  Mactan,  near  Cebu  ;  Juan  Serrano  and  many 
other  Spaniards  treacherously  killed  by  Hamabar,  King  of 
Cebii. 

1525.  Salazar  fights  the  Portuguese  off  Mindanao,  and  suffers  great 
losses  in  ships  and  men. 

1568.  Legaspi's  expedition  attacked  in  Cebu  by  a  Portuguese  fleet, 
which  was  repulsed. 

1570.  Legaspi  founds   the   city  of  Cebu,  with   the  assistance  of  the 

Augustinians. 

1 57 1.  Legaspi  founds  the  city  of  Manila,  with  the  assistance  of  the 

Augustinians. 

1572.  Juan  Salcedo  fights  the  Datto  of  Zambales,  and   delivers  his 

subjects  from  oppression. 

1574.  Siege  of  Manila  by  the  Chinese  pirate  Li-ma-hon  with  95  small 
vessels  and  2000  men.  The  Spaniards  and  natives  repulse 
the  attack.  The  pirates  retire  to  Pangasinan,  and  are 
attacked  and  destroyed  by  Juan  Salcedo. 

1577.  War  against  Mindanao  and  J0I6,  parts  of  which  are  occupied. 
Disputes  between  the  missionaries  and  the  military  officers 
who  desire  to  enrich  themselves  by  enslaving  the  natives, 
which  the  former  stoutly  oppose,  desiring  to  convert  them, 
and  grant  them  exemption  from  taxes  according  to  the 
*'  Leyes  de  Indias."  They  considered  the  cupidity  of  the 
soldiers  as  the  chief  obstacle  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen. 
The  Crown  decided  in  favour  of  the  natives,  but  they  did  not 
derive  all  the  benefits  they  were  entitled  to,  as  the  humane 
laws  were  not  respected  by  the  governors. 
The  Franciscans  arrived  in  Manila. 

1580.  Expedition  sent  by  Gonzalo  Ronquillo  to  Borneo  to  assist  King 

Sirela. 

1 58 1.  Expedition  sent  by  the  same  to  Cagayan  to  expel  a  Japanese 

corsair  who  had  established  himself  there.  The  expedition 
succeeded,  but  with  heavy  loss. 

Expedition  against  the  Igorrotes  to  get  possession  of  the 
gold-mines,  but  without  success. 

The  Jesuits  arrive  in  Manila. 

1582.  Expedition  against  the   Molucas,  under  Sebastian   Ronquillo. 


390  ATP  END  IX 


An  epidemic  destroyed  two-thirds  of  the  expedition,  which 
returned  without  accomplishing  anything. 

Great  disputes  between  the  encomenderos  and  the  friars  in 
consequence  of  the  ill-treatment  of  the  natives  by  the  former. 
Dissensions  between  the  Bishop  of  Manila  and  the  friars  who 
refused  to  submit  to  his  diocesan  visit. 
Manila  burnt  down. 

1584.  Second  expedition  against  the  Molucas,  with  no  better  luck  than 
the  first. 

Rebellion  of  the  Pampangos  and  Manila  men,  assisted 
by  some  Mahometans  from  Borneo.  Combat  between  the 
English  pirate,  Thomas  Schadesh,  and  Spanish  vessels. 

Combat  between  the  English  adventurer  Thomas  Cavendish 
(afterwards  Sir  Thomas),  and  Spanish  vessels. 

1587.  The  Dominicans  arrive  in  Manila. 

1589.  Rebellion  in  Cagayan  and  other  provinces. 

1593.  Third  expedition  against  the  Molucas  under  Gomez  Perez  Das- 
marinas.  He  had  with  him  in  his  galley  80  Spaniards  and 
250  Chinese  galley-slaves.  In  consequence  of  contrary  winds, 
his  vessel  put  into  a  port  near  Batangas  for  shelter.  In  the 
silence  of  the  night,  when  the  Spaniards  were  asleep,  the 
galley-slaves  arose  and  killed  them  all  except  a  Franciscan 
friar  and  a  secretary.  Dasmarinas  built  the  castle  of  Santiago, 
and  fortified  Manila  with  stone  walls,  cast  a  large  number  of 
guns,  and  established  the  college  of  Sta.  Potenciana. 

1596.  The   galleon  which   left    Manila  for  Acapulco  with  rich  mer- 

chandise, was  obliged  to  enter  a  Japanese  port  by  stress  of 
weather,  and  was  seized  by  the  Japanese  authorities.  The 
crew  were  barbarously  put  to  death, 

1597.  Expedition  of  Luis  Perez  Dasmarinas  against  Cambodia,  which 

gained  no  advantage. 

1598.  The  Audiencia  re-established  in   Manila,   and    the  bishopric 

raised  to  an  archbishopric. 

Expedition  against  Mindanao  and  Jold,  the  people  from 
which  were  committing  great  devastations  in  Visayas,  taking 
hundreds  of  captives. 

Much  fighting,  and  many  killed  on  both  sides,  without  any 
definite  result. 

1599.  Destructive  earthquake  in  Manila  and  neighbourhood. 

1600.  Great  sea  combat  between  four  Spanish  ships,  commanded  by 

Judge  Morga,  and  two  Dutch  pirates.  One  of  the  Dutchmen 
was  taken,  but  the  other  escaped. 

Another  destructive  earthquake  on  January  7th,  and  one 
less  violent,  but  long,  in  November. 
1603.  Conspiracy  of  Eng-Cang  and  the  Chinese  against  the  Spaniards. 
The  Chinese  entrench  themselves  near  Manila ;  Luis  Perez 
Dasmarinas  marches  against  them  with  130  Spaniards. 
They  were  all  killed  and  decapitated  by  the  Chinese,  who 
then  besieged  Manila,  and  attempted  to  take  it  by  assault. 
Being  repulsed  by  the  Spaniards,  all  of  whom,  including  the 
friars,  took  up  arms,  they  retired  to  their  entrenchments. 
They  were  ultimately  defeated,  and  23,ckx»  of  them  were 
massacred.  Only  100  were  left  alive,  and  these  were  sent  to 
the  galleys  as  slaves. 


APPENDIX  391 

1606.  The  Recollets  arrive  in  Manila. 

Fourth  expedition  against  the  Molucas.  Pedro  de  Acuna, 
having  received  a  reinforcement  of  800  men — Mexicans  and 
Peruvians — attacked  and  took  Ternate,  Tidore,  Marotoy  and 
Herrao,  with  all  their  artillery  and  provisions.  He  left  700 
men  in  garrison  there,  and  returned  to  Manila,  dying  a  few 
days  after  his  arrival.  The  Augustinians  furnished  a  galleon 
for  this  expedition.  It  was  commanded  by  the  Rev.  Father 
Antonio  Flores. 

1607.  Revolt  of  the  Japanese  living  in  and  near  Manila,  and  heavy 

losses  on  both  sides. 

1609.  Arrival  of  Juan  de  Silva  with  five  companies  of  Mexican  and 

Peruvian  infantry.  Attack  on  Manila  by  a  Dutch  squadron 
of  five  vessels.  They  were  beaten  off  with  the  loss  of  three  of 
their  ships. 

1610.  Unsuccessful  expedition  against  Java.     This  was  to  have  been 

a  combined  attack  on  the  Dutch  by  Portuguese  and  Spaniards, 
but  the  Spanish  squadron  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  join  their 
allies,  who  were  beaten  by  the  Dutch  fleet  in  the  Straits  of 
Malacca. 

Terrific  earthquake  in  Manila  and  the  eastern  provinces. 

1616.  Violent  eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano. 

1622.  Revolt  of  the  natives  in  Bohol,  Leyte  and  Cagayan,  which  were 
easily  suppressed. 

1624.  The  Dutch  landed  on  Corregidor  Island,  but  were  beaten  off. 

1627.  August.     Great  earthquake. 

1628.  Destructive  earthquake  in  Camarines. 

1638.  Sebastian  Hurtado  de  Corcuera  mikes  an  attack  on  the  Moros 

of  Mindanao,  and  conquers  the  Sultanate  of  Buhayen  and 
island  of  Basilan.     He  also  defeats  the  Joloans. 

1639.  Insurrection   of    Chinese   in   the   province   of  Laguna   and   in 

Manila.  Out  of  30,000,  7000  ultimately  surrendered.  All 
the  rest  were  massacred  by  the  Tagals. 

1640.  The  Dutch  attacked  the  Spanish  garrisons  in  Mindanao  and  J0I6. 

The  governor-general,  fearing  they  might  attack  Manila,  with- 
drew the  garrisons  from  the  above  places  to  strengthen  his 
own  defences,  thus  leaving  the  Moros  masters  of  both  islands. 

1641.  Eruption  of  the  Taal  volcano.     Violent  earthquake  in  Ilocos. 

1645.  The  Dutch  attacked  Cavite  and  other  ports,  but  were  repulsed. 

Rebellion  of  the  Moros  in  J0I6,  and  of  the  natives  of  Cebu 
and  other  provinces,  who  were  oppressed  by  forced  labour  in 
building  vessels,  and  other  services. 

In  these  years  there  were  great  disputes  between  the 
Spaniards  of  the  capital  and  the  friars. 

Great  earthquake  in  Manila,  30th  November,  called  St. 
Andrew's  earthquake. 

1646.  Long  series  of  strong  earthquakes,  which  began  in  March  with 

violent  shocks,  and  lasted  for  sixty  days. 
1648.  Great  earthquakes  in  Manila. 
1653.  Great   devastations   by  the   Moros   of  Mindanao,  which  were 

severely  punished. 

Rebellion   in    Pampanga  and   Pangasinan   against   being 

forced  to  cut  timber  gratuitously  for  the  navy.     Suppressed 

after  a  serious  resistance. 


392  APPENDIX 


1658.  Destructive  earthquake  in  Manila  and  Cavite. 

1662.  The  Chinese  pirate,  Cong-seng,  demands  tribute  from  the 
Governor  of  the  Philippines.  A  decree  is  issued  ordering 
all  Chinamen  to  leave  the  Philippines.  The  Chinese  en- 
trench themselves  in  the  Parian,  and  resist.  Thousands 
were  killed,  and  2000  who  marched  into  Pampanga  were  all 
massacred  by  the  natives. 

Great  troubles  occurred  between  the  governor,  Diego  de 
Salcedo,  and  the  archbishop. 

1665.   19th  June,  violent  and  destructive  earthquake  in  Manila. 

1669.  During  the  government  of  Manuel  de  Leon,  further  troubles 
occurred  between  the  archbishop  and  the  Audiencia.  The 
archbishop  was  banished,  and  sent  by  force  to  Pangasinan. 
But  a  new  governor,  Gabriel  de  Cruzalegui,  arrived,  and 
restored  the  archbishop,  who  excommunicated  the  dean  and 
chapter. 

1675.  Destructive  earthquake  in  South  Luzon  and  Mindoro. 

1683.  Great  earthquake  in  Manila. 

1689.  Archbishop  Pardo  having  died,  was  succeeded  by  P.  Camacho, 
and  now  great  disorders  arose  from  his  insisting  on  making 
the  diocesan  visit,  which  the  friars  refused  to  receive,  and 
would  only  be  visited  by  their  own  Provincial.  Again  Judge 
Sierra  required  the  Augustinians  and  Dominicans  to  present 
the  titles  of  the  estates  they  possessed  in  virtue  of  a  special 
commission  he  had  brought  from  Madrid,  which  they  refused 
to  obey,  and  the  end  of  the  dispute  was  that  Sierra  was  sent 
back  to  Mexico,  and  another  commissioner,  a  friend  of  the 
friars,  was  appointed,  to  whom  they  unofficially  exhibited  the 
titles. 

17 16.  Destructive  eruption  of  the  Taal  volcano,  and  violent  earthquake 

in  Manila. 

17 1 7.  Fernando  Bustillo  Bustamente  became  governor,  and  re-estab- 

Ushed  garrisons  in  Zamboanga  and  Paragua.  He  caused 
various  persons  who  had  embezzled  the  funds  of  the  colony 
to  restore  them,  imprisoning  a  corrupt  judge.  He  was 
assassinated  by  the  criminals  he  had  punished,  and  nothing 
came  of  the  inquiry  into  his  death. 

1735.  Earthquake  in  Baler,  and  tidal  wave. 

At  this  time,  the  audacity  of  the  Moro  pirates  was  in- 
credible. They  ravaged  the  Visayas  and  southern  Luzon, 
and  carried  away  the  inhabitants  by  thousands  for  slaves. 
The  natives  began  to  desert  the  coast,  and  take  to  the  in- 
terior. Pedro  Manuel  de  Arandia,  obeying  repeated  orders, 
decreed  the  expulsion  of  the  Chinese. 

1744.  Another  rising  in  Bohol,  due  to  the  tyranny  of  a  Jesuit  priest 
named  Morales.  The  chief  of  this  rising  was  a  native  named 
Dagohoy,  who  put  the  Jesuit  to  death,  and  maintained  the 
independence  of  Bohol,  paying  no  tribute  for  thirty-five  years. 
When  the  Jesuits  were  expelled  from  the  Philippines,  Re- 
collets  were  sent  to  Bohol,  and  the  natives  submitted  on 
receiving  a  free  pardon. 

1749.  Eruption  of  the  Taal  volcano,  and  earthquake  in  Manila.  The 
eruption  lasted  for  twenty  days. 

1754.  Violent  eruption  of  the  Taal  volcano,  which  began  on  15th  May, 


APPENDIX  393 


and  lasted  till  the  end  of  November,  This  was  accompanied 
by  earthquakes,  an  inundation,  terrifying  electrical  discharges, 
and  destructive  storms.  The  ashes  darkened  the  country  for 
miles  round,  even  as  far  as  Manila.  When  the  eruption 
ceased,  the  stench  was  dreadful,  and  the  sea  and  lake  threw 
up  quantities  of  dead  fish  and  alligators.  A  malignant  fever 
burst  out,  which  carried  off  vast  numbers  of  the  population 
round  about  the  volcano. 

1762.  A  British  squadron,  with  troops  from  India,  arrived  in  the  bay 

22nd  September,  and  landed  the  forces  near  the  powder- 
magazine  of  S.  Antonio  Abad.  On  the  24th,  the  city  was 
bombarded.  The  Spaniards  sent  out  2000  Pampangos  to 
attack  the  British,  but  they  were  repulsed  with  great  slaughter, 
and  ran  away  to  their  own  country. 

The  civil  population  of  Manila  were  decidedly  in  favour 
of  resisting  to  the  last  drop  of  the  soldiers'  blood  ;  but  the 
soldiers  were  not  at  all  anxious  for  this.  Confusion  arose  in 
the  city,  and  whilst  recriminations  were  in  progress,  the 
British  took  the  city  by  assault,  meeting  only  a  half-hearted 
resistance. 

The  natives  immediately  began  plundering,  and  were 
turned  out  of  the  city  by  General  Draper.  The  Chinese 
also  joined  in  the  robbery,  and  a  few  were  hanged  in  conse- 
quence. The  city  was  pillaged.  The  British  regiments  are 
said  to  have  behaved  well,  but  the  sepoys  ravished  the 
women,  and  killed  many  natives. 

Cavite  was  about  to  be  surrendered,  but  as  soon  as  the 
native  troops  there  knew  what  was  going  on,  they  began  at 
once  to  plunder  the  town  and  arsenal. 

1763.  A  British  expedition  sailing  in  small  craft  took  possession  of 

Malolos  on  January  19th,  1763.  The  Augustin  and  Franciscan 
friars  took  arms  to  defend  Bulacan,  where  two  of  them  were 
killed  in  action. 

It  was  said  that  the  Chinese  were  conspiring  to  exterminate 
the  Spaniards.  Simon  de  Anda,  the  chief  of  the  war-party 
amongst  the  Spaniards,  issued  an  order  that  all  the  Chinese 
in  the  Philippines  should  be  hanged,  and  this  order  was  in  a 
great  measure  carried  out.  This  was  the  fourth  time  the 
Spaniards  and  natives  exterminated  the  Chinese  in  the 
Philippines. 

Peace  having  been  made  in  Europe,  the  British  evacuated 
Manila  in  March,  1774. 

In  order  to  satisfy  their  vanity,  and  account  for  the  easy 
victory  of  the  British,  the  Spaniards  made  various  accusa- 
tions of  treachery  against  a  brave  Frenchman  named  Falles, 
and  a  Mexican,  Santiago  de  Orendain.  Both  those  men 
gallantly  led  columns  of  Pampangos  against  the  British  lines 
in  the  sortie  before  mentioned.  Although  the  Pampangos, 
full  of  presumption,  boldly  advanced  against  the  British  and 
sepoys,  they  were  no  match  for  disciplined  troops  led  by 
British  officers,  and  were  hurled  back  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet.  The  inevitable  defeat  and  rout  was  made  a  pretext 
for  the  infamous  charges  against  their  leaders.  It  may  be 
asked.  Was  there  no  Spaniard   brave  enough  to  lead  the 


394  APPENDIX 

sorties,  that  a  Frenchman  and  a  Mexican  were  obliged  to 

take  command  ? 

The  Spaniards  in  this  campaign  showed  themselves  more 
at  home  in  making  proclamations,  accusations,  and  intriguing 
against  each  other,  than  in  fighting.  However,  the  friars  are 
exempt  from  this  reproach,  for  Augustinians,  Dominicans  and 
Franciscans,  fought  and  died,  and  shamed  the  soldiers. 

No  less  than  ten  Augustinians  fell  on  the  field  of  battle, 
nineteen  were  made  prisoners,  and  twelve  were  banished. 
The  British  are  said  by  the  Augustinians  to  have  sacked  and 
destroyed  fifteen  of  their  conventos,  or  priests'  houses,  six 
houses  of  their  haciendas,  and  to  have  sold  everything 
belonging  to  them  in  Manila.  The  Augustinians  gave  their 
church  bells  to  be  cast  into  cannon  for  the  defence  of  the 
islands. 

Spaniards  and  natives,  however,  showed  great  unanimity 
and  enthusiasm  in  massacring  or  hanging  the  unwarlike 
Chinamen,  and  in  pillaging  their  goods.  Nearly  all  the  Chinese 
in  the  islands,  except  those  in  the  parts  held  by  the  British, 
were  killed. 

During  the  Anglo-Spanish  war  there  were  revolts  of  the 
natives  in  Pangasinan  and  in  Ilocos,  then  a  very  large 
province  (it  is  now  divided  into  four),  but  both  these  risings 
were  suppressed,  The  same  happened  with  a  revolt  in 
Cagayan.  Disturbances  also  occurred  in  many  other 
provinces. 

Simon  de  Anda  became  Governor-General,  and  carried 
out  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  from  the  PhiHppines.  Great 
troubles  again  occurred  between  the  Archbishop  and  the 
friars  over  the  diocesan  visit. 

1766.  20th  July,  violent  eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano. 

23rd  October,  terrible  typhoon  in  Albay,  causing  enormous 
destruction  of  life  and  property. 

1777.  Jose  Basco  y  Vargas,  a  naval  officer,  came  out  as  Governor- 
General,  and  found  the  country  overrun  with  banditti.  He 
made  a  war  of  extermination  against  them,  and  then  initiated 
a  vigorous  campaign  against  the  Moros.  He  repaired  the 
forts,  built  numbers  of  war  vessels,  and  cut  up  the  pirates 
in  many  encounters.  Basco  governed  for  nearly  eleven 
years. 

1784.  During  the  government  of  Felix  Marquina,  a  naval  officer,  the 
Compaiiia  de  FiHpinas  was  founded  to  commence  a  trade 
between  Spain  and  the  Philippines.  Marquina  was  succeeded 
by  Rafael  Marid  de  Aguilar,  an  army  officer,  who  organized 
the  land  and  naval  forces,  and  made  fierce  war  on  the  Moros. 
He  governed  the  islands  for  fourteen  years. 

1787.  Violent  and  destructive  earthquake  in  Panay. 

1796.  Disastrous  earthquake  in  Manila. 

1800.  Desti-uctive  eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano. 

1807.  Rebellion  in  Ilocos. 

When  the  parish  priest  of  Betal,  an  Augustinian,  was 
preaching  to  his  flock,  exhorting  them  to  obedience  to  their 
sovereign,  a  woman  stood  up  in  the  church  and  spoke  against 
him,  saying  that  they  should  not  believe  him,  that  his  remarks 


APPENDIX  395 

were  all  humbug,  that  with  the  pretence  of  God,  the  Gospel, 
and  the  King,  the  priest  merely  deceived  them,  so  that  the 
Spaniards  might  skin  them  and  suck  their  blood,  for  the 
priests  were  Spaniards  like  the  rest.  However,  the  townsmen 
declared  for  the  King,  and  took  the  field  under  the  leadership 
of  the  priest. 

1809.  The  first  English  commercial  house  estabhshed  in  Manila. 

i8il.  Rebellion  in  llocos  to  change  the  religion,  nominating  a  new 
god  called  Lungao.  The  leaders  of  this  rebellion  entered 
into  negotiations  with  the  Igorrotes  and  other  wild  tribes  to 
exterminate  the  Spaniards,  but  the  conspiracy  was  discovered 
and  frustrated. 

1S14.  Rebellion  in  llocos  and  other  provinces. 

Prisoners  released  in  some  towns  in  llocos.  This  rebellion 
was  in  consequence  of  General  Gandards  proclaiming  the 
equality  of  races,  which  the  Indians  interpreted  by  refusing 
to  pay  taxes. 

1st  February,  violent  earthquake  in  south  Luzon  and 
destructive  eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano.  Astonishing 
electrical  discharges. 

A  discharge  of  ashes  caused  five  hours'  absolute  darkness, 
through  which  fell  showers  of  red  hot  stones  which  completely 
burnt  the  towns  of  Camalig,  Cagsana,  and  Budiao  with 
half  of  the  towns  of  Albay  and  Guinchatau,  and  part  of 
Bulusan. 

The  darkness  caused  by  the  black  ashes  reached  over  the 
whole  of  Luzon,  and  even  to  the  coast  of  China.  So  loud 
was  the  thunder  that  it  was  heard  in  distant  parts  of  the 
Archipelago. 

Great  epidemic  of  cholera  in  Manila. 

1820.  Massacre  of  French,  English,  and  Americans  in  Manila  by 
the  natives  who  plundered  their  dwellings,  after  which  they 
proceeded  with  the  fifth  massacre  of  the  Chinese.  They 
asserted  that  the  Europeans  had  poisoned  the  wells  and 
produced  the  cholera.  The  massacre  was  due  to  the 
villainous  behaviour  of  a  Philippine  Spaniard  named  Varela, 
who  was  Alcalde  of  Tondo,  equivalent  to  Governor  of  Manila, 
and  to  the  criminal  weakness  and  cowardice  of  Folgueras 
the  acting  governor-general,  who  abstained  from  interference 
until  the  foreigners  had  been  killed,  and  only  sent  out  troops 
when  forced  by  the  remonstrances  of  the  friars  and  other 
Spaniards. 

The  archbishop  and  the  friars  behaved  nobly,  for  they 
marched  out  in  procession  to  the  streets  of  Binondo,  and 
did  their  best  to  stop  the  massacre,  whilst  Folgueras,  only 
attentive  to  his  own  safety,  remained  with  the  fortifications. 

1822.  Juan  Antonio  Martinez  took  over  the  government  in  October. 
Folgueras  having  reported  unfavourably  of  the  officers  of  the 
Philippine  army,  Martinez  brought  with  him  a  number  of 
officers  of  the  Peninsular  army  to  replace  those  who  were 
inefficient. 

This  caused  a  mutiny  of  the  Spanish  officers  of  the  native 
army,  and  they  murdered  Folgueras  in  his  bed.  He  thus 
expiated  his  cowardice  in  1820.     The  mutiny  was,  however, 


396  APPENDIX 


suppressed,  and   Novales  and  twenty  sergeants  were  shot. 
Novalcs'  followers   had    proclaimed    him    Emperor   of  the 
Philippines.     The  constitution  was  abolished    by  Martinez, 
without  causing  any  rising. 
1824.  Destructive  earthquake  in  Manila. 

Alonzo  Morgado  appointed  by  Martinez  to  be  captain  of 
the  Marina  Sutil,  commenced  an  unrelenting  persecution  of 
the  piratical  Moros,  causing  them  enormous  losses. 

1828.  Another  military  insurrection,  headed  by  two  brothers,  officers 

in  the  Philippine  army. 

From  this  date  Peninsular  troops  were  permanently  main- 
tained in  Manila,  which  had  never  been  done  before. 

1829.  Father   Bernardo    Lago,    an    indefatigable    missionary   of  the 

Augustinian  Order,  with  his  assistants  baptised  in  the 
provinces  of  Abra  and  Benguet  more  than  5300  heathen 
Tinguianes  and  Igorrotes,  and  settled  them  in  towns. 
1834.  Foreign  vessels  allowed  to  enter  Manila  by  paying  double  dues. 
1836-7.  Great  disturbances  amongst  the  natives  in  consequence  of  the 
ex-claustration  of  the  friars  in  Spain.  The  natives  divided 
into  two  parties.  One  wished  to  turn  out  the  friars  and  all 
Spaniards,  the  others  to  turn  out  all  Spaniards  except  the 
friars,  who  were  to  remain  and  take  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment. 

The  disturbances  were  ultimately  smoothed  over. 
1841.  Marcelino  de  Orda  being  Governor- General,  a  sanguinary 
insurrection  burst  out  in  Tayabas,  under  the  leadership  of  a 
native,  Apolinario  de  la  Cruz.  He  murdered  the  Alcalde  of 
the  province,  and  persuaded  his  fanatical  adherents  that  he 
would  make  the  earth  open  and  swallow  up  the  Spanish 
forces  when  they  attacked. 

His  following  was  composed  of  3000  men,  women,  and 
children.  They  were  attacked  by  four  hundred  soldiers  and 
as  many  cuadrilleros  and  coast-guards,  and  suftered  a 
crushing  defeat,  and  a  third  of  them  were  slain. 

Apolinario  de  la  Cruz  was  apprehended,  and  immediately 
put  to  death. 

Apolinario  called  himself  the  "  King  of  the  Tagals,"  and 
told  his  followers  that  a  Tagal  virgin  would  come  down  from 
Heaven  to  wed  him,  that  with  a  handful  of  rice  he  could 
maintain  all  who  followed  him,  and  that  the  Spanish  bullets 
could  not  hurt  them,  and  many  other  absurd  things.  His 
followers  declared  that  he  had  signified  his  intention,  in  case 
of  being  victorious,  to  tie  all  the  friars  and  other  Spaniards 
to  trees,  and  to  have  them  shot  by  the  women  with  arrows. 

There  lay  in  garrison  at  Manila  at  this  time  a  regiment 
composed  of  Tagals  of  Tayabas,  and  they  also  mutinied,  and 
were  shot  down  by  the  other  troops. 
1844.  Royal   order    prohibiting   the   admission   of  foreigners   to   the 
interior  of  the  country. 

Narciso  de  Claveria  became  Governor-General,  and 
organised  a  police  force  called  the  Public  Safety  for  Manila, 
and  similar  corps  for  the  provinces.  Up  to  this  time  the 
Alcaldes  Mayores  of  provinces  had  been  allowed  to  trade, 
and,  in  fact,  were  almost  the  only  traders  in  their  provinces, 


APPENDIX  397 


buying  up  the  whole  crop.  This  forced  trade  is  quite  a 
Malay  custom,  and  is  practised  in  Borneo  and  the  Malay 
States  under  the  name  of  Serra-dagang. 

The  Alcaldes  Mayores  used  to  pay  the  crown  one  third,  or 
half,  or  all  their  salary  for  this  privilege,  and  took  in  return 
all  they  could  squeeze  out  of  their  provinces  without  causing 
an  insurrection,  or  without  causing  the  friars  to  complain  of 
them  to  the  Government,  for  the  parish  priests  were  ever  the 
protectors  of  the  natives  against  the  civil  authority.  This 
privilege  of  trading  was  now  abolished  as  being  unworthy  of 
the  position  of  governor  of  a  province. 
1 85 1.  Expedition  by  the  Governor-General  Antonio  de  Urbiztondo 
against  Jold.  The  force  consisted  of  four  regiments,  with 
artillery,  and  a  battalion  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cebii,  under 
the  command  of  a  Recollet  friar,  Father  Ibafiez.  These 
latter  behaved  in  the  bravest  manner,  in  fact  they  had  to  ; 
for  their  wives,  at  the  instance  of  the  priest,  had  sworn 
never  to  receive  them  again  if  they  turned  their  backs  on  the 
eijemy. 

The  undaunted  Father  Ibanez  led  them  to  the  assault,  and 
lost  his  life  in  the  moment  of  victory.  Eight  cottas  (forts), 
with  their  artillery  and  ammunition,  were  captured  by  this 
expedition,  and  a  great  number  of  Moros  were  killed. 

After  this  the  J0I6  pirates  abated  their  insolent  attacks. 
Claveria  made  an  expedition  against  the  piratical  Moros  and 
seized  their  island  of  Balanguingin,  killing  400  Moros,  and 
taking  300  prisoners,  also  rescuing  200  captives.  He  also 
captured  120  guns  and  lantacas,  and  150  piratical  vessels. 
This  exemplary  chastisement  tranquillised  the  Moros  for 
some  time. 

1853.  13th  June.     Loud  subterranean   noises  in  Albay  and  eruption 

of  the  Mayon  volcano.  Fall  of  ashes  and  red-hot  stones 
which  rolled  down  the  mountain  and  killed  thirty-three 
people. 

1854.  Insurrection  in  Nueva  Ecija  under  Cuesta,  a  Spanish  mestizo 

educated  in  Spain,  where  Queen  Isabela  had  taken  notice  of 
him. 

He  arrived  in  Manila  with  the  appointment  of  Comman- 
dant of  Carabineros  in  Nueva  Ecija,  and  immediately  began 
to  plot.  The  Augustine  friars  harangued  his  followers  and 
persuaded  them  to  disperse,  and  Cuesta  was  captured  and 
executed,  with  several  other  conspirators ;  others  were 
banished  to  distant  islands. 

In  this  year  Manuel  Crespo  became  Governor-General, 
and  a  military  officer,  named  Zapatero,  endeavoured  to 
strangle  him  in  his  own  office. 

1855.  Strong   shocks  of  earthquake   in   all   Luzon.     Eruption  of  the 

Mayon  volcano. 

1856.  In  the  latter  part  of  this  year  a  submarine  volcanic  explosion 

took  place  at  the  Didica  shoal,  eight  miles  north-east  of  the 
island  of  Camiguin  in  the  Babuyanes,  to  the  north  of  Luzon. 
It  remains  an  active  volcano,  and  has  raised  a  cone  nearly 
to  the  height  of  the  volcano  of  Camiguin,  which  is  2414  feet 
high. 


398  APPENDIX 


1857.  The  old  decrees  against  foreigners  renewed. 

Fernando  de  Norzagaray  became  governor-general,  and 
found  the  country  over-run  by  bandits,  against  whom  he 
employed  severe  measures.     He  greatly  impr<;ved  Manila. 

The  French  in  Cochin-China,  finding  more  resistance  than 
they  expected,  appealed  to  Norzagaray  for  help.     He  lent 
them  money,  ships,  and  about  a  thousand  native  troops,  who 
behaved  with  great  bravery  during  the  campaign. 
i860.  Ramon  Maria  Solano  succeeded  to  the  Government. 

In  this  year  two  steam  sloops  and  nine  steam  gunboats 
were  added  to  the  naval  forces,  and  now  the  Moros  could 
only  put  to  sea  running  great  risks  of  destruction. 

These  nine  gunboats  were  the  greatest  blessings  the 
Philippines  had  received  for  many  years. 

1861.  Jose  de  Lemery  y  Ibarrola,  Governor-General.     Mendez-Nunez, 

with  the  steam  sloops  and  gunboats,  inflicted  terrible  chastise- 
ment on  the  piratical  Moros. 

1862.  Rafael  de  Echague  y  Bermingham  became  Governor- General, 

Second  visitation  of  cholera  in  the  islands,  but  not  so 
severe  as  in  1820. 

1863.  Terrible  earthquake   in   Manila  and  the  surrounding  country, 

causing  thousands  of  victims,  destroying  the  cathedral,  the 
palace  of  the  governor-general,  the  custom  houses,  the 
principal  churches  (except  St.  Augustine),  the  public  and 
private  buildings,  in  fact,  reducing  the  city  to  a  ruin. 

At  this  time  the  steam  gunboats  continually  hostilised  the 
Moros  of  J0I6,  and  caused  them  great  losses. 

1865.  Juan  de  Lara  y  Irigoyen  became  Governor-General,  and  took 

measures  to  subdue  the  bandits,  who  were  committing  great 
depredations  and  murders.  Hostilities  continued  in  Jold,  as 
the  Moros  had  recommenced  their  piratical  cruises. 

1866.  Frequent  earthquakes  in  Manila  and  Benguet. 

At  this  time  the  Treasury  was  in  the  greatest  difficulty,  and 
could  not  meet  the  current  payments.  A  large  quantity  of 
tobacco  was  sold  to  meet  the  difficulty. 

1867.  Jose  de  la  Gandara  y  Navarro  became  Governor-General.     To 

him  is  due  the  credit  of  creating  that  excellent  institution  the 
Guardia  Civil,  which  has  extirpated  the  banditti  who  infested 
the  islands  for  so  many  years. 

An  expedition  was  sent  against  the  Tgorrotes,  but  without 
effecting  anything  of  consequence.         t 

1868.  June  4th.     Intense  earthquake  in  the  island  of  Leyte. 

1869.  Carlos  Maria  de  la  Ton-e  became  Governor-General,  and  was 

not  ashamed  to  publish  a  proclamation  offering  the  bandits 
a  free  pardon  if  they  presented  themselves  within  three 
months.  Hundreds  and  thousands  of  men  now  joined  the 
bandits  for  three  months  murder  and  pillage,  with  a  free 
pardon  at  the  end  of  it.  This  idiotic  and  cowardly  pro- 
clamation was  most  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of  the  country. 
Finally  a  special  corps,  called  La  Torre's  Guides,  was  organised 
to  pursue  the  bandits. 
187 1.  Rafael  Izquierdo  y  Guttierez  became  Governor-General,  and 
raised  the  excellent  corps  called  La  Veterana  to  act  as  the 
police  of  the  capital. 


APPENDIX  399 

December  8th,  eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano,  and  dis- 
charge of  ashes  and  lava.  Two  persons  smothered,  and  one 
burnt. 

i6th  February.  Commencement  of  the  series  of  earth- 
quakes which  preceded  the  frightful  volcanic  eruption  in  the 
island  of  Camiguin  on  30th  April.  Full  details  of  this  terrible 
event  are  preserved.  A  volcanic  outburst  took  place  on  the 
above  date  at  344.  metres  from  the  town  of  Cabarman,  and 
near  the  sea.  Great  volumes  of  intlammable  gases  were 
ejected  from  deep  cracks  in  the  neighbouring  hills,  which 
presently  took  tire,  and  soared  in  flames  of  incredible  height, 
setting  tire  to  the  forests.  The  wretched  inhabitants  who 
had  remained  in  their  houses  found  themselves  surrounded 
by  smoke,  steam,  water,  ashes,  and  red  hot  stones,  whilst 
their  island  seemed  on  fire,  and  they  had  sent  away  all  their 
seaworthy  craft  with  the  women  and  children. 

At  first  the  volcanic  vent  was  only  two  metres  high,  but  it 
continually  increased. 

After  the  eruption,  the  earthquakes  decreased,  and  on 
7th  May  entirely  ceased. 

The  volcano  gradually  raised  itself  by  the  material  thrown 
out  to  a  height  of  418  metres. 

1872.  Military  revolt  in  Cavite,  in  which  the  native  clergy  were  mixed 

up.  A  secret  society  had  been  working  at  this  plot  for 
several  years,  and  was  very  widely  extended.  It  inundated 
the  towns  of  the  Archipelago  with  calumnious  and  libellous 
leaflets  in  the  native  languages.  The  conspiracy  coincided 
with  the  return  of  the  Jesuits  in  accordance  with  a  Royal 
Order,  and  their  substitution  for  the  Recollets  missionaries 
in  many  parishes  in  Mindanao.  In  turn^  the  Recollets, 
removed  from  Mindanao,  were  given  benefices  in  Luzon 
which,  for  one  hundred  years,  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
native  clergy,  who  were,  in  consequence,  very  dissatisfied, 
and  groat  hatred  was  aroused  against  the  Recollets.  The 
mutiny  was  suppressed  by  the  Spaniards  and  the  Visayas 
troops,  who  bayoneted  the  Tagals  without  mercy,  even  when 
they  had  laid  down  their  arms. 

Besides  many  who  were  shot  for  complicity  in  this  revolt, 
three  native  priests — D.  Mariano  Gomez,  D.  Jacinto  Zamora, 
and  D.  Jose  Burgos — were  garrotted  in  Bagumbayan  on  the 
28th  February.  Much  discussion  arose  about  the  guilt  or 
innocence  of  these  men,  and  it  is  a  matter  on  which  friars 
and  native  clergy  are  never  likely  to  agree. 

Later  on,  a  rising  took  place  in  Zamboanga  penal  estab- 
lishment, but  this  was  put  down  by  the  warlike  inhabitants 
of  that  town,  who  are  always  ready  to  take  up  arms  in  their 
own  defence,  and  are  very  loyal  to  Spain. 

Loud  subterranean  noises  in  Albay.  Eruption  of  the 
Mayon  volcano,  which  lasted  for  four  days. 

1873.  Juan  de  Alaminos  y  Vivar  became  governor-general. 

The  ports  of  Legaspi,  Tacloban  and  Leyte,  were  opened  to 
foreign  commerce. 

November  14,  1873,  violent  earthquake  in  Manila.  Erup- 
tion of  the  Mayon  volcano,  from  15th  June  to  23rd  July. 


400  APPENDIX 


1874.  Manuel  Blanco  Valderrama,  being  acting  governor-general, 
fighting  took  place  in  Baldbac,  where  the  Spanish  garrison 
was  surprised  by  the  Moros.  Josd  Malcampo  y  Monge,  a 
rear-admiral,  took  over  the  government  of  the  islands,  and, 
during  his  administration,  the  news  of  the  proclamation  of 
Alfonso  XII.  as  King  of  Spain  was  received,  and  gave  great 
satisfaction  in  Manila,  which  had  never  taken  to  the  Re- 
publican Government  in  Spain. 

Malcampo  led  a  strong  expedition,  consisting  of  9000 
men,  against  the  Moros,  and  took  Jol<5  by  assault,  after 
bombarding  the  Cottas  by  the  ships'  guns.  At  the  end  of 
his  time,  the  regiment  of  Peninsular  Artillery  had  become 
demoralised,  and  its  discipline  very  lax.  Finally,  the  soldiers 
refused  to  obey  their  officers,  and  broke  out  of  barracks. 

Two  of  them  were  shot  dead  by  the  officer  of  the  guard  at 
the  barrack-gate.  Captain  BruU,  but  the  affair  was  hushed 
up,  and  no  one  was  punished.  Discipline  was  quite  lost. 
3877.  Great  devastation  by  locusts  in  province  of  Batangas.  Domingo 
Moriones  y  Murillo  arrived,  and  took  over  the  government  on 
28th  February.  His  lirst  act  was  to  shoot  a  number  of  the 
Spanish  mutineers,  put  others  in  prison,  and  send  back  fifty 
to  Spain  in  the  same  vessel  with  Malcampo.  This  incident 
is  related  in  greater  detail  in  Chapter  III.  The  Treasury 
was  in  the  greatest  poverty,  and  the  poor  natives  of  Cagayan 
obliged  to  cultivate  tobacco  and  deliver  it  to  the  government 
officials,  had  not  been  paid  for  it  for  two  or  three  years,  and 
were  actually  starving.  Moriones  did  what  he  could  for 
them,  and  strongly  insisted  on  the  abolition  of  the  "estanco." 

To  this  worthy  governor,  Manila  and  the  Philippines  owe 
much.  He  insisted  on  the  lei,'acy  of  Carriedo  being  employed 
for  the  object  it  was  left  for,  instead  of  remaining  in  the 
hands  of  corrupt  officials. 

He    also    made    good    regulations    against    rogues    and 
vagabonds. 
ii879.  Nov.  8th.     Violent  typhoon  passed  over  Manila,  doing  much 
damage. 

July    1st.      Commencement    of    earthquakes    in    Surigao 
(Mindanao),  which  lasted  over  two  months. 
1S80.  Fernando   Primo   de   Rivera  became   Governor-General,    15th 
April. 

On  July  14th,  a  violent  earthquake  took  place,  doing 
enormous  damage  in  the  city  of  Manila  and  the  central 
provinces  of  Luzon.  The  seismic  disturbance  lasted  till  the 
25th  July.  The  inhabitants  of  Manila  were  panic-stricken, 
and  took  refuge  in  the  native  nipa  houses. 

General  Primo  de  Rivera  made  an  expedition  against  the 
Igorrotes,  and  the  vile  treatment  the  soldiers  meted  out  to 
the  Igorrote  women  has  delayed  for  years  the  conversion  of 
those  tribes. 

1881.  Eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano,  which  began  on  July  6th,  and 

lasted  till  the  middle  of  1882. 

At  times  there  were  loud  subterranean  noises,  after  which 
the  flow  of  lava  usually  increased. 

1882.  Dreadful  epidemic  of  cholera  which,  in  less  than  three  months, 


APPENDIX  401 

carried  off  30,000  victims  in  the  city  and  province  of  Manila 
In  the  height  of  the  epidemic  the  deaths  reached  a  thousand 
a  day.  The  victims  were  mostly  natives,  but  many  Spaniards 
died  of  the  disease.  Only  one  Englishman  died,  and  this 
was  from  his  own  imprudence.  A  typhoon  passed  over 
Manila  on  October  20th,  and  caused  great  damage  on  shore 
and  afloat.  Twelve  large  ships  and  a  steamer  were  driven 
on  shore,  or  very  seriously  damaged. 

On  November  5th,  another  typhoon,  not  quite  so  violent 
as  the  first,  took  place.  After  this,  the  cholera  almost 
entirely  stopped.  On  December  31st,  another  typhoon 
occurred. 
1883.  Joaquin  Jovellar  y  Soler,  captain-general  in  the  army,  and  the 
pacificator  of  Cuba,  assumed  the  government  7th  April, 
and  was  received  with  great  show  of  satisfaction  by  the 
Spaniards. 

The  old  tribute  of  the  natives  was  replaced  by  the  tax  on 
the  Cedulas-personales. 

During  his  time  there  were  threats  of  insurrection,  and 
additional  Peninsular  troops  were  sent  out.  He  resigned 
from  ill-health  ist  April,  1885. 

October  28th.     Typhoon  passed  over  Manila. 

1 88 5.  Emilio  Terrero  y  Perinat  assumed  the  government  of  the  islands 

on  April  4th. 

He  conducted  successful  expeditions  against  the  Moros  of 
Mindanao  and  J0I6. 

In  the  month  of  May,  during  the  great  heat,  the  River 
Pasig  was  covered  with  green  scum  from  the  lake.  The 
water  was  charged  with  gas,  the  fish  and  cray-fish  died, 
and  the  stench  was  overpowering,  even  at  a  couple  of  miles 
distance  from  the  river. 

A  huge  waterspout  was  formed  in  the  bay,  and  passed 
inland. 

November.  Death  of  King  Alfonso  XII.,  and  mourning 
ceremonies  in  all  the  islands. 

October  2nd.     Eruption  of  the  Taal  volcano. 

1886.  5th  March.     Separation  of  the  executive  and  judicial  powers. 

Appointment  of  eighteen  civil  governors  instead  of  alcaldes 
— mayores  of  provinces.  Ver}-  great  inconvenience  occurred 
through  the  delay  in  sending  out  the  Judges  of  First  Instance, 
and  the  duties  were,  in  some  cases,  temporarily  performed 
by  ignorant  persons  devoid  of  any  legal  training. 

1 1  P.M.,  2nd  April,  an  enormous  flaming  meteor  traversed 
the  sky,  travelling  from  E.  to  W.,  and  when  about  the  zenith 
it  split  into  two  with  a  loud  explosion,  the  pieces  diverging  at 
an  angle  of  perhaps  45°  ;  they  fell,  apparently,  at  a  great 
distance,  producing  a  violent  concussion  like  a  sharp  shock 
of  earthquake. 

24th  April.  Attack  by  bandits  on  the  village  of  Montalban. 
Two  of  them  were  killed  by  the  Guardia  Civil. 

8th  July.  Eruption  of  the  Mayon  volcano  in  Albay.  It 
continued  to  discharge  ashes  and  lava,  bursting  out  into 
greater  violence  at  times  till  the  middle  of  March,  1887. 

March    19th.      Don   German    Gamazo,    Minister   for    the 

2    D 


402  APPENDIX 


Colonies,  lays  before  the  Queen-Regent,  for  her  approbation, 
the  project  of  the  General  Exhibition  of  the  Philippines,  to 
be  held  in  Madrid  in  1887.     In  it  he  says  : — 

"  By  this  we  shall  bring  about  that  the  great  sums  of 
money  which  arc  sent  from  the  metropolis  to  purchase  in 
foreign  countries  cotton,  sugar,  cacao,  tobacco,  and  other 
products,  will  go  to  our  possessions  in  Oceania,  where foj-eigti 
mcrc/ia/its  buy  than  tip,  witJi  evident  damage  to  the  material 
interests  of  the  country.^'' 

When  it  is  considered  that  the  freight  from  Manila  to 
Barcelona  in  the  subsidised  Spanish  Royal  Mail  steamers 
was  considerably  higher  than  that  charged  in  the  same 
steamers  to  Liverpool,  that  enormous  duties  were  charged  in 
Spain  on  sugar  and  hemp,  which  enter  British  ports  duty 
free,  and  that  British  capital  was  advanced  to  the  cultivators 
to  raise  these  very  crops,  the  idiotic  absurdity  and  con- 
temptible hypocrisy  of  such  a  statement  may  be  faintly 
realised  by  the  reader. 

In  May  the  mud  of  the  Pasig  became  permeated  with 
bubbles  of  gas,  and  floated  to  the  surface.  On  May  23rd, 
the  writer  witnessed  several  violent  explosions  of  fetid  gas 
smelling  like  sulphuretted  hydrogen  from  the  mud  of  the 
Pasig  at  Santa  Ana. 

June  7th.  Triple  murder  committed  at  Canacao  by  a 
Tagal  from  jealousy. 

20th  May.    Three  days'  holiday  and  public  rejoicings  ordered 
in  honour  of  the  birth  of  the  King  of  Spain  (Alfonso  XIII.). 
1887.  January  3rd.     Troops  embarked   in  Manila  for  the  expedition 
against  the  Moros  of  Mindanao  under  General  Terrero. 

March  5th.  The  United  States  warship  Brooklyn  arrived 
in  Manila. 

July  14th.     The  Penal  Code  put  in  force  in  the  Philippines. 

December  3rd.  The  Civil  Code  put  in  force  in  the 
Philippines. 
1S88.  March  ist.  A  petition  is  presented  to  the  Acting  Civil  Governor 
of  Manila  by  the  Gobernadorcillo  and  Principales  of  Santa 
Cruz,  praying  for  the  expulsion  of  the  religious  orders  and 
of  the  Archbishop,  the  secularization  of  all  benefices,  and 
the  confiscation  of  the  estates  of  the  Augustinians  and 
Dominicans.     Sec  Chapter  VI. 

December  15th.  Violent  eruption  of  Mayon  volcano  with 
subterranean  noises,  storms,  thunder  and  lightning.  Don 
Valeriano  Weyler,  Marques  de  Tenerife,  became  governor- 
general. 
1890.  Agrarian  disturbances  occurred  at  Calamba  and  Santa  Rosa 
between  the  tenants  on  the  Dominicans'  estates  and  the  lay 
brother  in  charge.  During  this  year  there  was  a  great  in- 
crease of  secret  societies.  A  woman  admitted  as  a  mason. 
A  woman's  lodge  established.     See  Chapter  IX. 

February  21st.     Violent  eruption  of  the  Mayon. 

February  24th.  Several  explosions  occurred  at  the  summit, 
discharging  showers  of  white-hot  bombs.  About  100  metres 
of  the  top  toppled  over.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
neighbouring  towns  fled  to  a  distance. 


APPENDIX  403 


1891.     Don  Emilio  Despujols,  Conde  de  Caspe,  became  governor- 
general.     See  Chapter  III. 

1893.  Doroteo  Cortes  banished  to  the  Province  of  La  Union,  other 

malcontents  banished  to  different  localities. 

October  3rd.  Eruption  of  the  Mayon  and  explosion  ot 
volcanic  bombs.  Loud  subterranean  noises  and  deafening 
thunder. 

A  vast  column  of  smoke  ascended  to  the  sky,  from  which 
proceeded  violet-coloured  lightning. 

The  eruption  lasted  till  the  end  of  October. 

1894.  May.     The  Datto  Julcainim,  with  seventy  armed  Moros  from 

Sulu,  landed  in  Basilan  Island  to  recover  tribute  from  the 
natives,  but  was  sent  back  by  a  Spanish  gunboat. 

1896.  August  30th.     Tagal  insurrection  broke  out  near  Manila  and  in 

Cavite  Province.     See  Chapter  X. 

1897.  June  25th.     Violent  and   disastrous  eruptions   of  the   Mayon. 

Complete  destruction  of  the  villages  San  Antonio,  San  Isidro, 
Santo  Nino,  San  Roque,  Santa  Misericordia,  and  great 
damage  to  other  places  by  the  incandescent  lava.  A  dreadful 
tempest  destroyed  houses  and  plantations  in  places  where 
the  lava  did  not  reach.  About  300  people  were  either  killed 
outright  or  died  of  their  wounds.  Fifty  wounded  persons 
recovered. 

1898.  March  24th.     Revolt  of  the  famous  Visayas  or  74th  Regiment 

at  Cavite. 

March  25th.     Massacre  of  the  Calle  Camba. 

April  24th.  Meeting  at  Singapore  between  Aguinaldo  and 
the  United  States'  Consul,  Mr.  Spencer  Pratt. 

April  26th.     Aguinaldo  proceeds  to  Hong  Kong. 

May  1st.  Naval  battle  of  Cavite.  Destruction  of  the 
Spanish  squadron  and  capture  of  Cavite  Arsenal  by  the 
Americans. 

May  19th.  Aguinaldo  and  seventeen  followers  land  at 
Cavite  from  the  United  States'  vessel  Hugh  McCiillough, 
and  are  furnished  with  arms  by  Admiral  Dewey. 

May  24th.  Aguinaldo  proclaims  a  Dictatorial  Govern- 
ment. 

June  23rd.  He  issues  a  manifesto  claiming  for  the  Philip- 
pines a  place,  if  a  modest  one,  amongst  the  nations. 

August  6th.  He  sends  a  message  to  foreign  powers  claim- 
ing recognition. 

August  13th.  The  American  troops  enter  Manila,  the 
Spaniards  making  only  a  show  of  resistance. 

August  14th.  The  capitulation  signed.  General  Merritt 
issues  his  proclamation  establishing  a  military  government. 

August  15th.  General  McArthur  appointed  military  com- 
mandant of  the  Walled  City  and  Provost-Marshal-General 
of  the  city  and  suburbs. 

September  29th.  General  Aguinaldo  makes  a  speech  at 
Malolos  to  the  Philippine  Congress,  the  keynote  of  which 
was  independence  :  "  The  Philippines  for  the  Filipinos." 

October  2nd.  The  Peace  Commission  holds  its  pre- 
liminary meeting  in  Paris. 

November  13th.     The  insurgents  invest  Ilo-ilo.     Fighting 

2   D   2 


404  APPENDIX 


proceeding  in  other  parts  of  Visayas  between  Spaniards  and 
natives. 

December  loth.  The  Peace  Commission  signs  the  Treaty. 
Don  Felipe  Agoncillo,  representative  of  the  Philippine 
Government,  hands  in  a  formal  protest,  of  which  no  notice 
is  taken. 

December  24th.     The  Spaniards  evacuate  Ilo-ilo. 

December  26th.  The  insurgents  occupy  the  city.  The 
Spaniards  evacuate  all  the  southern  island  stations  except 
Zamboanga.     The  Philippine  Congress  at  Malolos  adjourns. 

December  29th.  New  Philippine  cabinet  formed  ;  all  the 
members  pledged  to  independence. 

President  of  Congress  and  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs, 
Senor  Mabini  ;  Secretary  for  War,  Sefior  Luna  ;  Interior, 
Senor  Araneta  ;  Agriculture  and  Commerce,  Senor  Buen- 
camino  ;  Public  Works,  Senor  Canon. 
1899.  January  5th.  The  Washington  officials  announce  that  they 
"expect  a  peaceful  adjustment."  [Blessed  are  they  who 
expect  nothing.] 

President  McKinley  instructs  General  Otis  to  extend 
military  government  with  all  dispatch  to  the  whole  ceded 
territor)% 

January  8th.     Protest  of  Aguinaldo  against  the  Americans. 

January  12th.  General  Otis  telegraphs  to  the  War  De- 
partment that  conditions  are  apparently  improving. 

Other  dispatches  represent  the  situation  as  daily  growing 
more  acute. 

January  i6th.  A  telegram  was  received  at  W'ashington 
from  General  Otis,  of  so  reassuring  a  character  regarding  the 
position  at  Manila  and  Ilo-ilo,  that  the  government  officials 
accept  without  question  the  correctness  of  his  statement,  that 
the  critical  stage  of  the  trouble  there  is  now  past  and  that 
he  controls  the  situation. 

A  commission  nominated  by  President  McKinley,  consisting 
of  Dr.  Schurman,  President  of  Cornell  University  ;  Professor 
Worcester  of  Michigan  University,  and  Mr.  Denby. 

Januar}-  21st.  The  Philippine  constitution  is  proclaimed 
at  Malolos. 

February  4th.  Fighting  between  Filipinos  and  Americans 
began  at  Santa  Mesa  8.45  P.M.,  and  continued  through  the 
night. 

February  5  th.  Fighting  continued  all  day  and  ended  in 
the  repulse  of  the  Filipinos  with  hea\-y  loss. 

General  Otis  wires  :  "  The  situation  is  most  satisfacton-,  and 
apprehension  need  not  be  felt." 

Februar)'  6th.  The  U.S.  Senate  ratifies  the  Peace  Treaty 
with  Spain  by  57  to  27. 

Senator  Gorman  in  the  course  of  the  debate  expressed  his 
belief  that  the  battle  at  Manila  was  only  the  beginning.  If 
the  treaty  was  ratified  war  would  follow,  lasting  for  years,  and 
costing  many  lives,  and  millions  upon  millions  of  money. 

[Senator  Gorman  makes  a  better  prophet  than  General 
Merritt  or  Mr.  Foreman.] 

February   8th.      General    Otis   wires  :   "  The  situation   is 


APPENDIX  405 

rapidly  improving.  The  insurgent  army  is  disintegrating, 
Aguinaldo's  influence  has  been  destroyed." 

February  loth.  The  Americans  attack  and  capture 
Calocan.     President  McKinley  signs  the  Treaty. 

February  nth.  Ilo-ilo  captured  by  General  Miller  without 
loss,  but  a  considerable  part  of  the  town  was  burned. 

February  i8th.  The  American  flag  hoisted  at  Bacolod  in 
Negros  Island,  opposite  Ilo-ilo. 

February  22nd.  Tagals  attempt  to  burn  Manila,  setting 
fire  simultaneously  to  the  Santa  Cruz,  San  Nicolas,  and  Tondo. 
Sharp  fighting  at  Tondo.  Many  natives  were  burned  while 
penned  in  by  the  cordon  of  guards. 

February  23rd.  The  Americans  burned  all  that  remained 
of  Tondo.  General  Otis  issued  an  order  requiring  the 
inhabitants  to  remain  in  their  homes  after  7  P.M. 

March  13.  Oscar  F.  Williams  does  not  expect  to  live  to 
see  the  end  of  the  war.  This  is  the  man  who  on  July  2nd, 
1898,  "hoped  for  an  influx  that  year  of  10,000  ambitious 
Americans,"  who  he  said  could  all  live  well  and  become  en- 
riched.    See  Chapter  XVIII. 

Since  the  American  occupation  three  hundred  drinking 
saloons  have  been  opened  in  Manila. 

March  19th.  Urgent  instructions  sent  from  Washington 
to  Generals  Otis  and  Lawton  to  hasten  the  end. 

March  24th.  Engagement  at  Marilao — the  Filipinos  are 
defeated. 

New  York  Times  says  the  situation  is  both  surprising  and 
painful  to  the  American  people. 

March  31st.  The  Americans  occupy  Malolos  which  the 
Filipinos  had  set  on  fire,  after  some  skirmishing. 

April  1st.     Troops  resting  at  Malolos. 

The  ironclad  Monadnock  was  lired  on  by  Filipinos  artillery 
at  Paraiiaque  (three  miles  from  Manila),  and  replied  silencing 
the  guns  on  shore. 

April  20th.  A  column  of  General  Lawton's  force,  140 
strong,  surrounded  and  captured  by  the  Filipinos  near 
Binangonan. 

April  23rd.  Fighting  at  Quingua,  Col,  Stotsenburg 
killed.     This  was  a  severe  engagement, 

April  26th,  Americans  capture  Calumpit,  Washington 
"  profoundly  relieved." 

April  27th.     Fighting  near  Apalit. 

April  30th.  General  Otis  believes  that  the  Filipinos  are 
tired  of  the  war. 

May  1st.     Anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Cavite. 

May  2nd,  Conference  between  Filipino  envoys  and 
General  Otis  with  the  American  Civil  Commissioners. 

General  Lawton  captures  Baliuag. 

May  1 2th,  The  Nebraska  Regiment  petitions  General 
McArthur  to  relieve  them  from  duty,  being  exhausted  by 
the  campaign.  Since  February  4th,  the  regiment  has  lost 
225  killed  and  wounded,  and  59  since  the  tight  at  Malolos, 

May  1 8th.  Filipino  peace  delegates  enter  General  Lawton's 
lines  at  San  Isidro. 


4o6  APPENDIX 

1899.  May  20th.    Admiral  Dewey  leaves  Manila  in  the  Olympia. 

May  22nd.  The  U.S.  Civil  Commission  received  Agui- 
naldo's  Peace  Commissioners,  and  explained  to  them  President 
McKinlcy's  scheme  of  Government. 

May  29th.     Aguinaldo  reported  dead. 

May  30th.  The  authorities  at  Washington  admit  that 
more  troops  are  needed  for  Manihi. 

June  1st.  Mr.  Spencer  Pratt  obtains  an  interim  injunction 
in  the  Supreme  Court,  Singapore,  against  the  sale  of  Mr. 
Foreman's  book.  "  The  Philippine  Islands." 

June  5th.  Skirmishing  in  the  Laguna  district.  An  attempt 
by  the  Americans  to  surround  Pio  del  Pilar  fails. 

June  13th.  A  Filipino  battery  at  Las  Pinas,  between 
Manila  and  Cavite,  consisting  of  an  old  smooth  bore  gun  and 
two  one-pounders  open  fire  on  the  American  lines.  A  battery 
of  the  1st  Artillery,  the  ironclad  Monadnock,  and  the  gunboat 
Helena  directed  their  fire  upon  this  antiquated  battery,  and 
kept  it  up  all  the  morning. 

A  correspondent  remarks,  "  This  was  the  first  real  artillery 
duel  of  the  war." 

This  developed  into  one  of  the  hardest  fights  in  the  war, 
the  Filipinos  made  a  determined  stand  at  the  Zapote  bridge. 

Reports  arrive  that  General  Antonio  Luna  had  been  killed 
by  some  of  General  Aguinaldo's  guards. 

June  1 6th,  The  Filipinos  attack  the  Americans  at  San 
Fernando  and  are  repulsed  with  heavy  loss. 

Mr.  Whitelaw  Reid,  addressing  the  Miami  University  of 
Ohio,  denounces  the  President's  policy,  or  want  of  policy,  in 
the  Philippines. 

June  19th.  American  troops  under  General  Wheaton 
march  through  Cavite  Province. 

June  2ist.  General  Miles  describes  the  situation  at  Manila 
as  "  very  serious." 

June  26th.  Twelve  per  cent,  of  the  American  forces  sick. 
Little  can  now  be  attempted  as  the  rainy  season  is  now  on, 

June  27th.  General  Otis  reports  that  the  Filipinos  have 
no  civil  government. 

June  28th.  It  is  stated  that  General  Otis  will  have  40,000 
men  available  for  active  operations  after  the  rainy  season. 

July  I2th,  General  Otis  asks  for  2500  horses  for  the 
organisation  of  a  brigade  of  cavalry  after  the  rainy  season. 

The  entire  staff  of  correspondents  of  the  American  news- 
papers protest  against  the  methods  of  General  Otis  in  exer- 
cising too  strict  a  censorship  over  telegrams  and  letters. 
They  say,  "  We  believe  that,  owing  to  the  official  despatches 
sent  from  Manilla  and  published  in  Washington,  the  people 
of  the  United  States  have  received  a  false  impression  of  the 
situation  in  the  Phihppines,  and  that  these  despatches  present 
an  ultra-optimistic  view  which  is  not  shared  by  general 
officers  in  the  field." 

July  20th.  The  rainfall  at  Manila  since  1st  June  has 
been  41  inches  and  the  country  is  flooded. 

July  23rd.  Mr.  Elihu  Root  nominated  to  succeed  Mr,  Alger 
as  Secretary-  for  War. 


APPENDIX  407 


July  27th.  General  Hall's  division  captures  Calamba  on 
the  lake. 

August  1st.  Mr.  Root  sworn  in  as  Secretary  for  War.  He 
contemplates  increasing  General  Otis'  available  force  to 
40,000  men. 

August  15th.     General  McArthur's  force  captures  Angeles. 

August  17th.  Orders  issued  at  Washington  to  form  ten 
additional  regiments  to  serve  in  the  Philippines.  General 
Otis  to  have  62,000  men  under  his  command. 

August  23rd.  General  Otis  apphes  the  Chinese  Exclusion 
law  to  the  Philippines. 

August  24th.  The  Moros  sign  an  agreement  acknow- 
ledging the  sovereignty  of  the  United  States  over  the  entire 
Philippine  Islands. 

The  Moros  of  Western  Mindanao  are  asking  for  per7nission 
to  drive  out  the  insurgents. 

August  28th.  President  McKinley  makes  a  speech  to  the 
loth  Pennsylvanian  Regiment  lately  arrived  from  Manila. 
See  Chapter  XII. 

September  ist.     Fighting  in  Negros,  American  successes. 

September  14th.  U.S.  cruiser  Charleston  engages  a  gun 
mounted  by  the  Filipinos  at  Olongapd,  Subic  Bay,  and  fired 
sixty-nine  shells  from  her  8-inch  guns  without  silencing  the 
gun,  notwithstanding  that  the  Filipinos  used  black  powder. 

September  iSth.  Some  of  the  U.S.  Civil  Commission  had 
already  started  to  return  ;  remainder  leave. 

September  23rd.  A  U.S.  squadron,  consisting  of  the 
Monterey,  Charlestoti,  Concord  and  Zafiro,  bombarded  the 
one-gun  battery  of  the  Filipinos  at  01ongap6  for  six  hours, 
and  then  landed  250  men  who  captured  and  destroyed  the 
gun  which  was  16-centimetre  calibre. 

General  Otis,  in  an  interview,  is  reported  to  have  stated 
that  "  Things  are  going  very  satisfactorily." 

September  28th.     General  McArthur  captures  Porac. 

September  30th.  General  Aguinaldo  releases  fourteen 
American  prisoners.  They  looked  well  and  hearty,  and  it 
was  evident  that  they  had  been  well  treated. 

October  8th.  General  Schwan  advanced  against  Noveleta 
and  encountered  a  heavy  resistance,  but  ultimately  took  the 
town  and  next  day  occupied  Rosario. 

October  i8th.  War  now  said  to  be  beginning  in  its  most 
serious  phase.  The  American  troops,  men  and  officers,  said 
to  be  thoroughly  discouraged  by  the  futility  of  the  operations 
ordered  by  General  Otis.  They  feel  that  their  lives  are  being 
sacrificed  without  anything  being  accomplished. 

October  28th.  17,000  sick  and  tired  soldiers  have  been 
sent  home  and  replaced  by  27,000  fresh  men.  34,000  arc 
on  the  way  or  under  orders.  Total  will  be  65,000  men  and 
forty  ships  of  war. 

October  31st.  General  Otis  reports  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment that  the  continuance  of  the  rainy  season  still  harasses 
the  prosecution  of  the  campaign. 

Count  Almenas,  speaking  in  the  Spanish  Senate,  said  that 
through  the  ignorance  of  the  Peace  Commission  the  Batanes 


4o8  APPENDIX 


1899.  Islands,  Cagayan  Sulu,  and  Sibutu  were  not  included  in  the 
scope  of  the  treaty. 

November  7th,  General  Wheaton,  with  an  American  force 
lands  at  San  Fabian  [Panjjasinan]  and  marches  towards 
Dagupan,  driving  the  Filipinos  before  him. 

November  i3lh.  Tarlac  captured  by  the  Americans  under 
Colonel  Bell.  Telegrams  from  Manila  state,  "A  careful 
review  of  the  situation  made  on  the  spot  justifies  the  predic- 
tion that  all  organised  hostile  operations  on  a  definite  plan 
are  at  an  end." 

November  14th.  The  U.S.  cruiser  Charleston  lost  on  the 
Guinapak  rocks  to  the  north  of  Luzon,  and  the  crew  land  on 
Camiguin  Island. 

November  28th.  The  province  of  Zamboanga  [Mindanao] 
said  to  have  surrendered  unconditionally  to  the  commander 
of  the  gunboat  Castine. 

December  20th.  General  Lawton  shot  by  the  insurgents 
at  San  Mateo  whilst  personally  directing  the  crossing  of  the 
river  by  two  battalions  of  the  29th  U.S.  infantr}\ 

1900,  January  20th.     The  Filipinos  capture  a  pack  train  of  twenty 

ponies  in  the  Laguna  Province.     American  losses,  two  killed, 
five  wounded,  nine  missing. 

Februaiy  15th.  American  newspapers  report  many  cases 
of  insanity  amongst  the  U.S.  soldiers. 

February  20th.  General  Otis  signifies  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment his  desire  for  leave  of  absence  from  Manila  to  recruit 
his  health. 

March  30th.  The  bubonic  plague,  extending  in  Luzon, 
and  appears  in  other  islands  of  the  Archipelago.  Cases 
suspected  to  be  leprosy  reported  amongst  the  U.S.  troops. 

Independent  reports  represent  the  situation  in  the  Philip- 
pines as  most  unsatisfactory.  The  islands  are  practically  in 
a  state  of  anarchy. 

April  6th.  The  War  Department  issues  an  order  recalling 
General  Otis,  because  his  work  has  been  accomplished,  and 
appoints  General  McArthur  in  his  place. 

May  1st.  Judge  Canty,  of  Minnesota,  makes  a  report 
upon  the  condition  of  the  Philippines. 

He  says  :  "All  the  native  tribes,  except  a  small  band  of 
Macabebes  and  the  Sulu  Mahometans,  are  against  us,  and 
hate  the  Americans  worse  than  the  Spaniards.  .  .  .  The 
American  soldiers  are  undergoing  terrible  hardships,  and 
are  a  prey  to  deadly  tropical  diseases."' 

June  2nd.  General  McArthur  asks  for  more  troops,  and  at 
least  three  regiments  are  to  be  sent. 

June  14th.  Rear- Admiral  Raney  cables  for  another 
battalion  of  marines. 

June  15th.  Macaboulos,  a  Filipino  chieftain,  surrenders 
at  Tarlac  with  8  officers  and  120  rifiemen. 

June  17th.  A  regiment  of  infantr)'  and  a  batter}'  of 
artillery  embark  at  Manila  for  China. 

June  19th.  It  is  reported  that,  in  all,  5000  men  are  to  be 
sent  from  Manila  to  China. 

June  20th.     But  to-day,  the  idea  prevails  in  Washington 


APPENDIX  409 


1900.  that,  under  present  conditions,  every  soldier  in  the  Philip- 
pines is  needed  there. 

July  27.  Negotiations  are  being  carried  on  between  Spain 
and  the  United  States  for  the  cession  by  the  former  to  the 
latter  of  the  Sibutu  and  Cagayan  Islands  on  payment  of  a 
sum  of  $100,000. 

August  4th.  The  Filipinos  kill  or  capture  a  lieutenant  of 
Engineers  and  fifteen  soldiers. 

August  8th.  Miss  Margaret  Astor  Chanler,  who  was 
engaged  in  Red  Cross  work  in  Manila,  declares  that  the 
hospitals  are  inadequate.  This  is  contirmed  by  the  Wash- 
ington correspondent  of  the  World.  He  says  3700  men  are 
now  in  hospital,  and  large  numbers  are  unable  to  find 
accommodation.  Thousands  who  are  down  with  fever  and 
other  diseases  are  without  doctors  or  medical  supplies. 
Eight  per  cent,  of  the  entire  force  is  incapacitated. 

August  15th.  The  Filipinos  reported  to  be  gaining 
ground. 

The  cost  of  the  war  said  to  be  nearly  ^40,000,000,  2394 
deaths,  3073  wounded.  There  are  said  to  be  still  70,000 
American  troops  in  the  Phihppines.  The  "goodwill"  of  the 
war  cost  ^4,000,000. 

August  19th.  Censored  news  despatches  from  Manila 
show  that  the  Filipinos  are  increasing  their  activity,  and 
scorn  the  offers  of  amnesty. 

September  ist.  The  Civil  Commission  in  the  Philippines, 
presided  over  by  Judge  Taft,  assumes  the  direction  of  the 
Government.  Judge  Taft  reports  that  the  insurrection  is 
virtually  ended,  and  that  a  modus  vivendi  is  established 
with  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  ! 

September  3rd.  General  McArthur  cables  that  an  out- 
break has  occurred  in  Bohol,  and  that  in  an  engagement 
near  Carmen  the  Americans  lost  i  killed  and  6  wounded,  and 
the  Filipinos  120  killed. 

September  6th.  The  estimated  cost  of  the  Philippines  to 
America  is  estimated  at  three-quarters  of  a  million  dollars 
per  day. 

September  12th.  The  first  public  legislative  session  of  the 
Civil  Commission  was  held.  Two  million  dollars  (Mexican) 
were  voted  for  the  construction  of  roads  and  bridges,  $5000 
for  the  expenses  of  a  preliminary  survey  of  a  railroad  between 
Dagupan  and  Benguet,  and  $5400  towards  the  expenses  of 
the  educational  system. 

September  17th.  General  McArthur  cables  that  Captain 
Mc(2uiston,  who  had  become  temporarily  insane,  shot  a 
number  of  men  of  his  company.  The  others,  in  self-defence, 
shot  and  killed  the  captain. 

September  20th.  The  Civil  Commission  reports  that  large 
numbers  of  the  people  in  the  Philippines  are  longing  for 
peace,  and  are  willing  to  accept  the  government  of  the 
United  States. 

General  McArthur  cables  reports  of  fighting  in  the  Ilocos 
Provinces,  from  whence  General  Young  telegraphs  for  rein- 
forcements, also  in  Bulacan,  and  in  Tayabas. 


4IO  APPENDIX 

1900.  A  desperate  engagement  is  fought  in  the  Laguna  Province, 

where  the  Americans  made  an  attack  upon  the  Filipino 
positions,  and  were  repulsed  with  heavy  loss,  including 
Captain  Mitchell  and  Lieutenant  Cooper. 

The  Filipinos  arc  constantly  harassing  and  attacking  the 
American  outposts  and  garrisons  around  Manila,  and  have 
caused  fourteen  casualties  amongst  the  troops. 


APPENDIX 


411 


Customs  Dues  on  Exports,  1896-97. 

Articles. 

Hemp  or  cordage     . 
Indigo     . 

Tintarron  liquid  indigo 
Rice 
Sugar 

Cocoa-nuts  or  copra 
Tobacco  in  cigars  or  cigarettes 
Tobacco  in  leaf  from  the  provinces  of  Cagayan 
Isabela,  and  Nueva  Vizcaya  in  Luzon     . 

„  from  Visayas  and  Mindanao 

„  from  any  other  province 

Estimated  receipts  from  above  tax  in  the 
financial  year  1896-97  .         .         .       $1,292,550 


Tax  per  loo  kilos 

Gross  Weight. 

S  cts. 

0 

75 

0 

50 

0 

05 

2 

00 

0 

10 

0 

10 

3 

00 

1,1 
.1 

3 

00 

2 

00 

I 

50 

Extra  Import  Tax  on  Consumable  Articles 

{This  is  in  addition  to  the  Customs  dues.) 

o   .  .    /In  barrels  or  demijohns         .       per  litre 
^P^"^^\ln  bottles  or  flasks 


Beer        ......  ,, 

Vegetables  or  fruits,  dried  or  green    .     per  kilog. 
Wheat  flour     .  .  .  .per  100  kilog. 

Common  salt  ....  „ 

Petroleum  and  mineral  oils        .  „ 


S  cts. 
0*20 
0-30 

o"  10 

0"02 

o"5o 

I  -GO 

i-oo 


Estimated  receipts  from   above  tax   in  the 

financial  year  1896-97     ....       $301,000 


412 


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APPENDIX 


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APPENDIX 


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APPENDIX 


415 


VALUE   OF   LAND. 


Manila-Dagupan  Railway. 

First  Section — Manila  to  San  Fernando. 

First  sub-section,  Manila  to  Polo. 
Second        „         Polo  to  Guiguinto. 
Third  „  Guiguinto  to  Calumpit. 

Fourth         „  Calumpit  to  San  Fernando. 

Second  Section — San  Fernafido  to  Tarlac. 

First  sub-section,  San  Fernando  to  Angeles. 
Second         „         Angeles  to  Bamban. 
Third  „  Bamban  to  Capas. 

Fourth  „  Capas  to  Tarlac. 

Third  Section — Tarlac  to  Dagupan. 

First  sub-section,  Tarlac  to  Panique. 
Second        „         Panique  to  Moncada. 
Third  „         Moncada  to  Bayambang. 

Fourth         „  Bayambang  to  San  Carlos. 

Fifth  ,,         San  Carlos  to  Dagupan. 


V 


An  Estimate  of  the  Population  of  the  Philippines 
IN  1890. 

Peninsular    Spaniards,    including    the    garrisons,   friars, 

officials  and  private  persons    .....  14,000 

Spaniards  born  in  the  islands 8,000 

Spanish  mestizos  .          .......  75,000 

Foreigners  of  white  races       ......  2,000 

Foreign  mestizos  ........  7,000 

Chinese        .........  125,000 

Chinese  mestizos  ........  500,000 

Moros  of  Mindanao,  J0I6,  Tawi-tawi,  Basilan,  BaMbac, 

and  other  islands    .......  600,000 

Heathen   in   all   the    archipelago — Igorrotes,   Manobos, 

Subanos,  Montcses,  Ibilaos,  Aetas,  Ifugaos,  etc.,  etc.  800,000 

Christian  natives  .         .......  5,869,000 

Total  ......     8,000,000 

The  above  is  taken  from  a  pamphlet  called  '  Filipinas'  Funda- 
mental Problem,'  by  a  Spaniard  long  resident  in  those  islands, 
published  in  Madrid,  1891,  by  D.  Luis  Aguado.  The  pamphlet  itself 
is  a  violent  attack  on  Rizal  and  those  who  sympathised  with  him,  and 
holds  out  as  the  only  remedy  against  insurrection  the  encouragement 
of  Spanish  immigration  on  an  extensive  scale. 


4i6  APPENDIX 


Estimate  of  Philippine  Income 


Direct  Taxes — 

Property  tax,  $140,280 ;  industrial  and  commercial  tax, 
$1,400,700;  cedulas  personales,  * $5,600,000;  capitation 
tax  on  Chinese,  $510,190;  acknowledgment  of  vassalage 
from  outlaws  and  heathen,  $20,000  ;  tax  of  10  per  cent,  on 
railway  fares,  $32,000 ;  various  surtaxes,  $63,000 ;  tax  of 
10  per  cent,  on  the  pay  of  employes  paid  by  local  funds, 
$80,000  ;  tax  of  lo  per  cent,  on  the  pay  of  employes  paid 
by  the  State,  $650,000    .......       8,496,170 

Custom  House — 

Imports,  $3,600,000;  exports,  t$i,292,55o;  loading  tax, 
$410,000;  unloading,  $570,000;  trans-shipment,  $1000; 
warehousing,  $4000;  fines,  surtaxes,  etc.,  $22,000;  tax  on 
consumable  goods  J $301,000  .....       6,200,550 

Monopoly — 

Opium  contract  (farmed  out)  §     ......  576,000 

Stamps — 

Stamped  paper,  do.  for  fines,  for  bills  of  exchange,  post  office 
stamps,  patent  medicine  stamps,  stamps  for  telegrams,  re- 
ceipts, signatures,  passports,  less  $200,000  paid  to  Bolmao 
and  Hong  Kong  Cable  Co.,  etc.       .....  646,000 

Lottery — 

Profits  of  the  Manila  lottery,  licenses  for  raffles,  etc.       .  .        1,000,000 

Croivn  Property — 

Rents  of  mining  claims,  $2000 ;  royalties  on  forest  produce, 

$170,000;  sale  of  Crown  lands,  of  buildings,  and  fines        .  257,000 

Miscellaneous — 

Unexpended  balances,  $50,000 ;  produce  of  convict  labour, 
$4000  ;  sale  of  buildings  and  stores  of  War  Department 
and  Nav}',  $3800 ;  profits  on  coining  money,  $200,000 ; 
sundry  receipts,  $40,500  ......  298,300 

Total      ......  ||$I7,474,020 


*  The  total  receipts  from  this  tax  are  ....     S7.0001O00 
The  local  funds  receive  20  per  cent.,  say   .         .         .     §1,400,000 

Remainder  .....     Ss  1600,000 

+  See  Table  of  dues  on  Exports.  J  See  Table  of  this  tax. 

§  In  August  n^  the  Straits  Settlements  Government  received  offers  for  the  opium  and 
spirit  farms  in  Singapore,  Penang  and  Malacca,  for  three  years  from  January  7th,  1901, 
amounting  to  S38S1O00  per  month. 

II  In  1886-S7  the  revenue  only  amounted  to  §9,324,974 ;  the  Army  estimates  for  1888  were 
$3,918,760,  the  Na^y  §2,573,776.  If  to  the  revenue  of  1896-^7  we  add  the  amount  paid  over 
to  local  funds,  the  total  will  be  double  the  reircnuc  raised  ten  years  be/ore. 


APPENDIX  417 

AND  Expenditure,  1896-97. 

Genera/  charges — 
Ministry  of  the  Colonies,  Court  of  Audit,  expenses  of  Fer- 
nando Po,  civil,  military  and  naval    pensions,  interest  on 
savings  bank  deposits,  passages  of  Government  employes     .        1,507,900 

State— 

Diplomatic  and  consular  expenses         .....  74,000 

Grace  and  Justice — 
Courts   of  Justice,    register   of  property,    gaols,    the   clergy, 
missionaries,    public    worship,    passages    of    missionaries, 
college  for  missionaries  .......       1,896,277 

Army — 

Pay  and  allowances,  provisions,  forage,  clothing,  war-like 
stores,  invalids,  orj)hans,  extraordinary  credit  for  the  cam- 
paign in  Mindanao  ($624,680)  .....       6,042,442 

Treasury — 
Central  administration,  mint  at  Manila,  provincial   adminis- 
tration, pay  and  allowances  of  corps  of  carbineers  (custom 
house  guards),  cost  of  selling  stamped  paper,  of  collecting 
taxes,  of  working  the  lottery    ......        1,393,184 

Navy — 

Pay  and  allowances,  victualling  and  clothing,  material  for 
the  station,  for  the  squadron,  material  for  the  arsenal 
{$1,260,652) 3,566,528 

Civil  Service — 

Colonial  Secretary  (pay  and  allowances),  Governor-General, 
civil  governors,  political  and  military  governors,  council  of 
administration,  the  Guardia  Civil,  post  office,  telegraph, 
health  officers  of  ports     .         .         .  .         .         .         .       2,198,350 

Education  and  pJiblic  works — 

Technical  schools,  nautical  do.  of  drawing,  painting,  sculpture 
and  engraving,  university,  normal  school,  observatory  of 
Manila  ($20,000  per  annum),  pay  and  allowances  of 
engineers  and  assistants  of  public  works,  of  the  woods  and 
forests,  of  mines,  and  of  the  model  farms  ....  615,198 


Total 17,293,879 


N.B. — Expenditure  on  Army  and   Navy  $9,608,970,  considerably  more 
(han  half  the  total  revenue. 


2    E 


4i8 


APPENDIX 


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(    419    ) 


LIST   OF   SPANISH   AND   FILIPINO   WORDS 
USED   IN   THE   WORK, 

AND   THE   PAGES   WHERE   THEIR   MEANING   IS 
EXPLAINED. 


A.                      1 

PAGE 

I'AGE 

PAGE     , 

Balta-oa 

257 

Cailanes     .      .  25 

I,    256 

Abaca  .     159,  258,  345 

Banaba 

309 

Calan    . 

160 

Abogado     ...       26 

Banga   .      .      .      . 

160 

Calata   . 

255 

Agun     ....     358 

Bangad. 

250 

Caliga   . 

342 

Ahas      ....      191 

Bangca .     .      .      . 

242 

Calintangang   . 

369 

Ajonjoli      .      .  208,  250 

Banua    .      .      .      . 

310 

Caliz     .      .      . 

358 

Alabarderos     .      .         8 

Barangay    . 

II 

Camagon    . 

309 

Alcalde       .      .       10,  24 

Barangayanes  . 

161 

Camanchile 

225 

Alguacil      ...        10 

Baril      .      .      .      . 

228 

Camarin 

32 

Aligua  ....     255 

Baro      .      .      .      . 

245 

Cambaya    . 

182 

Alimoom    .      .      .      175 

Haroto  .      .      .      . 

161 

Camote 

131 

Aling     ....     213 

Basi       ...  25 

5.   279 

Campilan    . 

369 

Almaciga    .      .      .     314 

Basinganis  . 

313 

Capitan 

10 

Americanistas  .  121,  127 

Batas     .      .      . 

176 

Capitan-china  . 

291 

Amok    .      169,  175,  365 

Bato      .      .      . 

327 

Carabao      .///.  22 

7,  270 

Anabo  .      .      .      .      159 

Bayan    . 

82 

Carabinero. 

43 

Anay     ....      141 

Bayon   . 

159 

Carromata  160,  21 

4,  249 

Anitos  .      209,  258,  259 

Betel      .      .      . 

227 

Casco     ...  16 

I,  223 

Anting-anting  .      .     215 

Bichara. 

367 

Catapusan  . 

220 

Aparcero  — ia  .      .     239 

Birclog  , 

358 

Catipado     . 

218 

Asimilista  ...        53 

Bito-bito     .      . 

162 

Cedula  personal 

53 

Asitera ....     259 

Boboy   . 

251 

Cerbatana  .      .  311,  317 

Asociacion      Hisp" 

Bolo      .      .  39,  15 

3,  344 

Chiflado      .      . 

169 

Fil'    ....       81 

Buaya    .      .      .21 

8,  241 

Chorizos     . 

68 

Asuan   ....     215 

Buchis  . 

•     324 

Cogon   ...    7 

I,  280 

Audiencia  .    10,  26,  359 

Bumaguil    . 

260 

Contribucion  Ind' 

163 

Auditor       ...       26 

Bundang     . 

256 

Convite      .      .    ^ 

5,  244 

Bundoc . 

•     340 

Copra    .      .      .1; 

6,328 

Bungulan    . 

•      131 

Corbina       .      . 

.     225 

B. 

Buquid  . 

•     340 

Corrales  de  pesca 

.     224 

Buri       .      .      . 

•      159 

Cotta     .      .      .63,  362 

Bacoco        .      .      .     225 

Busao    . 

•     343 

Courbash  [Eg>'p"] 

12 

Bacor-es      .      .      .      130 

Buyo     .      .      .  2C 

>3.  227 

Coyote  . 

•     251 

Bacuanes    .      .      .     256 

Cuadrillero 

10 

Bagani   .     335,  338,  35 1 

Cuano   . 

.     368 

Bag<5n   ....     225 

C. 

Cutcuran     . 

•     «35 

Baguadatto       .      .     368 

Bailanes      .      .      .     338 

Cabeza    de    Bara 

n- 

Balaring      .      .      .     341 

gay    .      .      . 

10,  II 

D. 

Balat-ong.      .      .      131 

Cabo  negro 

•      159 

Balate  .      .      .  305,  309 

Cadena  perpt'tua 

•       29 

Dagmays    .      .  .'^ 

;o,  355 

Balian  .      .      .      .'    357 

Cagel  -ada.      .  I^ 

54,  250 

Dalatanes   . 

.    130 

Balete  .      .      .  214,  343 

Caida    . 

.     245 

Datto    ...  3' 

'7.  683 

420 


APPENDIX 


Datto  Realao 
Dava     . 
Definidor    . 
Desas  [Java] 
Desgana 
Devvata 
Dinatas. 
Dolon    . 
Dungon 


Escribano 
Espedienti. 
Estanco 
Estera  . 


Falconetes 
Fallos    . 
Farderia 
Fiscal   . 
Frijoles 


PAGE 
368 

67 

3 
169 

349 
302 

251 
309 


26 

41 

43 

159 


.  87 
•  50 
161,  240 
.  26 
.   68 


Gangalia     . 
Ganta   . 
Gartanzos  , 
Gayang  or  Sayang 
Gobemadorcillo 
Gogo     . 
Guardia  Civil 
Guijo     . 
Guilalo . 
Guinara 
Guingon     . 


H. 


Hacienda 


368 

371 

68 

255 

10 

179 

2S 

309 

161 

283 

159-251 


73 


I. 


Inquilino  .  .  239,  303 
Inspeccion  de  Monies  309 
Ipon      ....     251 


J. 


Jabol     .      .      . 

.     371 

Juez      .     ,     . 

.       26 

Juez  de  Paz 

.     336 

Jiisi.      .      .      . 

•     159 

K. 

PAGE 

Kabaya.  .  .  .  182 
Katipunan  ...  82 
Kris       .      .      .  283,  344 


Labuyao     .      .      .  190 

Lacapati     .      .      .  209 

Lacatan       .      .      .  131 

Lamudia     .      .      .  368 

Langa  ....  368 
Lantaca  87,  96,  373,  387 

Late      ....  286 

Lenguado   .      .      ,  225 

Leyes  de  Indias     .  51 

Liga  Filipina  .      .  hi 

Limbucun  .      .      .  333 

Limocon     .      .      .  359 

Lisa       ....  225 

Lomboy      .      .      .  250 

Lorcha .      .      .      .  l6l 

Lucban.      .      .      .  250 


M. 

Maestro  de  Campo 

310,  343 


Maestro  Cook. 

181 

Mainguel    . 

256 

Majarasin   . 

368 

MaU-mali   . 

168 

Manbunung 

259 

Mandarines 

3<^7 

Mania  . 

226 

Mantes  de  Ilocos 

251 

Maradiadina     . 

368 

Marcha  Real    . 

188 

Marina  Sutil     . 

361 

Matandang-sa-nay 

a    226 

Mayordomo 

180 

Meilupa 

209 

Meritorios  . 

26 

Molave .      .      . 

141 

Mongo  . 

131 

Monsoon    . 

174 

Moro-moro 

•     369 

N. 


Nacudia 
Narra    . 
Nipa 
Nipis 
Nito 
Nono    . 


.  368 
178,  245 
161,  241 
159,  250 
I  bo,  249 
214,  21S 


o. 

60 .  .  . 

Orang  Kiya 


Paddy  or  pala 

Padrino 

Paduca . 

Paga-paga 

Pagare  . 

Pagdatto 

Paghuaga 

Pailebote 

Palacol 

Palomaria 

Pampano 

Panditas 

Pangasi 

Pantalan 

Pasing  tabi  sa  nono 

Patadion   283,  2S5 


PACK 
213 

368 


Patianac 
Paujalay 
Pavito  real 
Peje  rey 
Pemiciosa 
Personero 
Pes  .      . 
Petate  . 
Pica-pleito 
Pilapile 
Pilon     . 
Pinag    . 
Pina       . 
Pinga    . 
Fita.      . 
Po    .      . 
Polos    . 
Pontines 
Principales 
Pronunciamento 
Provincial 
Pueblo  . 


371 
50 

368 

357 
229 

371 
336 
i6i 
140 
250 
225 
367 
357.  358 
257 
214 

300, 
348 
214 

369 
190 
225 

363 
162 

358 

178 

,  231 


151 
130,  227 
161,  240 
190,  196 

159 
181 
250 
213 
50 
161 

',  45 

17 

67 

3 


Quiap 


R. 

Rajah  Muda 
Rancheria  . 
Rayadillo  . 


344.  346 


368 

329 
176 


APPENDIX 

PAGE 

PAGE 

p. 

Real  Haber 

46 

Sesame  . 

^5 

Tinaja   .      .      .135 

I. 

Reconcentrado 

20 

Si     .      . 

213 

Tinapa  .... 

2: 

Reconocimient 

0  de 

Sibucao 

250 

Tindoc  .... 

13 

Vasalaje . 

246, 

282 

Sinamay 

159 

Tintarron    . 

13 

Reducciones    . 

327, 

329 

Somaten 

331 

332 

Traje  del  pals  . 

!8 

Regnas 

260 

Sucaran 

357 

Traspaso  de  hambre 

16 

Remontados  2c 

),  281 

296 

Sumario 

45 

Tribunal      . 

Remontar  . 

210, 

249 

Tribunal  Supremo 

Rengue . 

159 

Tribute. 

Resistencia  a  F 

uerza 

T. 

Trocha  .     325,  360, 

3 

armada    . 

46 

Rhinodon  tipicus  . 

225 

Tabo 

179 

Tuang   .... 

0 

Rima     . 

315 

Tabon   . 

190 

Tubigan      .      .  130, 

22 

Tabungao   , 

250 

Tulisan        .  28,  215 

243 

Taga-bundoc 

340 

Typhoon     . 

174 

S. 

Taga-buquid 
Talanan 

340 
359 

Sacate   . 

227 

Talas     . 

29 

V. 

Sacayan 

359 

Talian    . 

343 

Sacope  . 

II 

Talibon 

255 

Varadero    . 

3.' 

Saguin  . 

131 

Taming 

359 

Vicario  foraneo 

6i 

Saguran 

159 

Tampipi 

160 

Vierncs  Santo  . 

1 87 

Sala 

245 

Tapa-rabo 

3" 

Vino  de  Nipa  . 

242 

Salacot 

160 

Tapis     . 

245 

300 

Vintas   .      .      .  161, 

362 

Saldiringan 

358 

Teache  . 

303 

Visita     .... 

312 

Salisipanes 

161 

Teniente 

336 

Sanibayang 

368 

Ternate 

«3i 

Sarif 

368 

Tiburon 

225 

Y. 

Sarong  . 

182 

Tic-balan 

214 

Saya 

24s, 

301 

Tic-tic  .      , 

214 

Yacal     .... 

141 

Scapulary   . 

215 

Tiffin  [HindostJ 

inee] 

182 

Ylang-ilang 

160 

Segundo  Ca 

bo 

19 

Timuay . 

368 

Ypil       .... 

141 

2   F 


APPENDIX 


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LONDON  :    PBIKTED  BT   WILLIAM  CLOWES   AKD  SONS,    LIMITED,  STAMFOKD  STBEET 
AKD  CHARING  CROSS. 


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